Pipes
by MistressMarie
Summary: Sasuke and Sakura crashed to the ground, and before they could even raise their eyes, the barrage of wood fell in front of their feet, and a lone headband smeared in crimson lay abandoned aside. "Naruto!"
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

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The sun was hot, beating down on all of the nature with no mercy. Leaves drooped, and trees leaned just a little farther than necessary. Sweat ran down young skin, into blue material darkened by the moisture. Soft pants blew into the material, making the moist material stick sloppily to a rounded chin. Small hands irritated, but restrained, swatted at the scarf.

The bushes swayed, such an abnormal occurrence for a still, blistering day. Muscles tensed, ready to pounce, and a heart beat raced through the twigs and roots pressed against a crouched body. There, in the foot of distance, glowing eyes peered from the shadows of the brush. Stubby fingers curled against the ground tightly, the strain of the thighs thrumming through the torso. The glowing eyes shifted, and the bush rustled as a dark blur flew into the air, and the crouched figure sprung.

Tora screeched, clawing at the weirdly dressed idiot that ruined her escape. She tore wildly in the boy's arms, yet, he didn't let go. Though, she did feel triumphant of the indignant squawks she pulled out of him. _Hiss.. _

"Ah! Gotcha!" the brunette gloated, a grin stretching his round face. "You can never escape the _Great Konohama-achoo!_"Konohamaru sniffed irritably as Tora's tail whacked his face numerous times. With a grunt he stood, the cat's bottom fitted between his hip and his elbow, his hand under the cat's body, and his other holding the scruff of it's neck. "Now, let's head back, before I die of heatstroke.."

Konohamaru began to walk, his strides confident with a weird sense of direction. The boy suddenly paused, looking this way and that. He twisted his face into a look of pure agony. "Which way was base again?" Konohamaru frantically pulled his thoughts together, only to find that he had nodded off when his sensei was speaking to him. "Ugh! Damn it!"

Konohamaru leaped into a nearby tree, and looked over the top of the trees, only to realize that the foliage was so thick, he could not see past them to the forest floor. The brunette groaned, wiggling in his uncomfortably damp clothes. "Now how do I get back?" Konohamaru blinked, his good mood ruined. "Help!" he called. It echoed over the tops of the trees, though no answer came back. Yet, he smiled, suddenly remembering the river. He grinned once more. "I'll just follow the river!" he exclaimed. He swore Tora just snorted at him.

Konohamaru began to leap towards the water, the soft scrape of the bark against his sole familiar and comforting as the unsure thoughts ran through his head. Konohamaru frowned, feeling the bark shift beneath his feet as he leapt. He bent his legs and absorbed the coming energy, stopping neatly on the branch. Coming to his full height, he glanced down at his feet, and now that he was still, he could feel the strange quake quiver into his ankles.

Konohamaru perked his ears, hearing a crackling thunder like boom off into the distance. Birds cried out in alarm, and scattered into the sky. The boy focused his gaze curiously into the distance of the trees, and his eyes widened, seeing an explosion of snapping branches and wood like a wave of abolition coming towards him. Everything began to tremor horribly, like big hands had taken hold of the ground, and yanked it out from under everything.

Konohamaru gasped, fear gripping his heart as his feet stumbled over the branch that shook beneath him. Then it was gone, and he was falling, the cool air rushing into him, hitting his damp body with a chill. Shivers racked his body as he continued to fall, and looking down, he was met with a horrible end of destroyed growth. The pit of jagged and pointed wood stuck out to greet him. Konohamaru felt the knot tighten in his stomach as he curled protectively around the stiff cat, his eyes closing shut so tightly, the pain tidaled through his eyes. He could almost feel the sharp ends piercing his body, and terror struck him to the core. His throat felt raw, and that's when he realized he was screaming.

Two limbs struck his back, and Konohamaru rasped for air as he was pressed to a hard chest. "I got ya!" a familiar voice rumbled into his hair as a chin pressed against his scalp.

Hope bloomed in Konohamaru's lungs, and relief flew through his trembling body. "Naruto!" he praised.

Naruto evened his breath as he slid and squeezed through the impossibly small openings in the falling foliage. A barrage of timber fell in front of him, and Naruto cursed as he was forced to jump back before they were crushed. Channeling chakra to his feet, Naruto stood on the very tips of the quite violently broken wood, and pushed off with all his strength, into the tops of the trees. He crashed through braches and twigs that battered him from all sides, meeting the rising air of the blue sky. As everything fell beneath them, currents of air raced upwards, carrying the boys, and the panic stricken cat, even higher.

Naruto thought quickly, angling their bodies to ride the current, and away from the horrible quakes striking the ground. As the currents ended, Konohamaru felt the same falling feeling breeze through his stomach, and began to get queasy. Naruto landed outside Konoha's gate, absorbing the grounds impact into his knees. He winced, feeling it burn through his wounds. Konohamaru grinned at his teammates at the gate, and rounded on Naruto with a thankful aura.

"Thanks for saving me, Naruto! That was so cool!" he exclaimed.

"No prob." Naruto replied with equal loudness.

Naruto waved as they wandered away. Once out of sight, Naruto frowned. _Didn't they hear the commotion? _He blinked, turning to look at the forest. His eyes narrowed. _You can't even tell that a part of the forest is gone! If people can't hear the destruction, or see it, then the fallen won't be saved in time. _With this thought, Naruto advanced upon the forest, searching the grounds.

He paused, sensing fluctuating chakra towards the river he had been at when he heard Konohamaru call for help. Naruto dodged quickly though the trees, coming to a rest in the calm, moist air. He looked down the river sides, but didn't see the cause of the chakra. His brow furrowed with confusion. Listening intently, he heard a hiss of pain. He looked around frantically, knowing someone was nearby.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" he called.

"Oh, thank kami!" he heard a rasping breath claim.

Naruto's head twisted in the direction of the voice, and his legs moved without command. He parted through bushes, spotting a wounded ninja. She lay on the ground, a hand pressed to her neck, blood dripping through her fingers. Naruto hurried to her side.

"What happened?" he asked with wide eyes.

The woman smiled goofily, her teeth tinted pink with blood. "It was an accident, really." she rasped, and Naruto nodded. "I was heading back to deliver my report to Hokage-sama, and I wasn't paying attention. A stray branch snapped into my neck, and I landed wrong on my ankle.."

Naruto's eyes strayed to her ankle, and they widened further. There was a slight scrape that shouldn't have been much trouble, but a dark ominous looking bruise surrounded it. Blood ran down into her sandal, but at the source, it bubbled oddly. "It wasn't that you weren't paying attention..." he murmured, bringing his narrowed eyes back to the woman's curious face. "Something strange is going on. How long have you been out here?"

The woman tilted her chin, and Naruto blinked as the sun bounced off her headband on her forehead. "I was heading back in the early hours… and I was injured around noon."

Naruto scrunched his face in agony, remembering what position the sun was in at the moment. "That long ago? You got a lot of endurance, lady." She looked at him questionably.

Naruto placed his hand over hers to indicate to her to keep the pressure on it. Then he lifted her carefully, and didn't take the chance of leaping in the trees. He ran, going by ground. He was quiet, but that didn't stop his thoughts from racing. _This is weird. I don't sense any disturbing presences, so what could have caused all this? _

"Recently, have you heard anything weird? Like trees collapsing?" he murmured.

The woman blinked, realizing the question was directed to her. "Uh, no."

Naruto nodded, not pausing at the gate, to go straight to the hospital. While handing the woman off to the doctors, he offered to deliver the report to the hokage for her. Reluctantly, she agreed, and Naruto made quickly to the great hokage.

Tsunade threw back another glass of sake, the cool liquid sending a refreshing sting through her throat. She sighed, going to pour another, when her door burst open. Her hands jumped, the bottle and the shot flying forgotten.

Naruto struggled against the hold of the two elder ninja, growling and complaining. "Will you losers get off of me?!" With a new thought, Naruto grinned, and licked the opposing arms. Twin shrieks of horror echoed through the office as Naruto ran up to the desk of the dismayed and empty handed hokage. "Obaa-chan!" he cried. "This is really important! Tell these goons to get off my tails!"

Tsunade sighed, and waved the ninja away. They both sent Naruto glares of certain death as they stalked away. Naruto rolled his eyes as the door closed and swatted at the air behind him as if smoothing his fur. Tsunade watched him quizzically, and ill amused. "Alright, Naruto. Is this business, or are you just here to annoy me?"

Naruto straightened, and nodded respectfully to his hokage. Tsunade's eyes widened as she noticed the many dark bruises littering the boy's body. She leaned across her desk at his unusual behavior, fearing the worst.

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A/N

first _posted _fanfic, so any suggestions now, and throughout the story will be appreciated!

-MM(:


	2. Cold Ramen

**Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

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Sasuke rummaged through his bag, looking for a spare towel. Sakura harped behind him, complaining about Naruto's sure laziness to relax in a tree while the team's back was turned. Sasuke continually made small grunts so that she thought he was listening. Though, in his own mind, he too wondered where Naruto had gone. They had been in the same part of the river, picking through the same garbage and bagging it. One minute he was there, the next, _poof. _

Sasuke leered into his bag, his arm pausing. _How could I have not had enough attention to notice the dobe's disappearance? What if Naruto hadn't snuck away, what if he had been captured or gotten tangled up in some other sort of danger? _Sasuke's taut hand closed around the corner of the towel, and he swiftly pulled, yanking the cloth out of the confines of his bag. The fabric was stiff, and it made Sasuke no happier as he scratched the sweat away from his face. He winced when the stiffness softened as it filled with his perspiration. He threw the towel into the river, hoping to never see it again.

"Sasuke-kun? Where do you think he went?" Sakura demanded, probably repeated.

Sasuke shouldered his bag, and collected the garbage they rounded. "I don't care. Let's head back, we've done our business."

Sakura glanced around worriedly, then trailed after the raven, her tongue itching to speak. _What if we leave him here alone? _

"…he can find his way back." Sakura's head shot up from her gaze at the ground, her mouth hung open wordlessly as Sasuke's still body stood ahead of her. "…it's written all over you're face. Don't worry, I'm sure he's past the gate already."

Sakura loped after Sasuke as he began to walk once more, his steps jerky. "How can you be so sure-"

"I just know, okay?"

Sakura flinched at his gruff tone, and nodded though he couldn't see it with his back turned. They set off at a reasonable pace, Sakura a few steps behind with her eyes watching the back of Sasuke's sandals. _I wished things would be back to normal when Sasuke-kun returned… but really they've only gotten worse… _Sakura gasped as she ran into a stone hard back. She jumped back a reasonable distance from her teammate, looking ahead.

Naruto stood at the bank, gathering his pick and garbage bag. He looked up, finally noticing their appearance, and grinned. "How do ya like that, Uchiha? I got more than you!" he gloated, shaking his bag for all the world to see.

Sakura's frown deepened just the slightest, her breath seeming irregular._ Uchiha. _"Naruto!" she scolded, her voice coming out on reflex.

Naruto blinked, his blue eyes catching the sun as they shifted to her figure. He smiled apologetically, rubbing the back of his neck. "Gomen, Sakura-chan, I just noticed and had to say something." Naruto's grin faded as Sasuke wandered past him silently. "What's wrong Uchiha? Jealous?" Naruto raced ahead of Sasuke, feeling a fake sort of triumph over the fact that he entered the gate first. "Lunch!" he proclaimed.

Sakura smiled, her mood lifting as she thought of the many places they could go to eat. "Neh, Sasuke-kun? Want to join me?"

Naruto glanced back at his teammates as Sakura chatted to the raven. _They'll probably go somewhere fancy together. _His empty stomach growled, and Naruto tore his eyes away from the two as he wandered toward Ichiraku Ramen.

Sasuke felt his money jingle in his pocket as he shifted from foot to foot, a vein pulsing behind his eye. _Would this aggravating girl stop talking at me?_ His black eyes followed the back of an orange jumpsuit as it moved farther away. Without a second thought, Sasuke followed after the blond when Sakura turned her gaze off into the distance. _Ramen will have to do._

"You know, barbeque does sound nice right now, doesn't it Sa… suke… where'd he go?"

Sakura looked around at the many unfamiliar faces of the villagers, and felt a sort of vexatious stone settle in her empty stomach. _They left me! _Sakura huffed, stomping her foot. The stone bloomed into a breezy anguish, and her eyes lowered. _No, Sasuke left me. _She sighed distressfully, her eyes becoming a dull heat.

The shop was all but silent with the clinking of dishes and the fizzle of the cooking noodles. Naruto stared down into his ramen, his eyes trained far beyond the noodles, the bowl, and even the counter.

_His heart was hammering, his legs working as he raced through the dusky hallways. It was hard to breathe through the mask that irritably rubbed against his nose as he ran._ _The foggy purple haze stung his eyes, and in the distance was a ghostly vapor. _

"_Sasuke! Where are you teme?!" _

_Doors swung open and shut, countless breezes sweeping past bitter blue eyes as they failed to catch what they so desperately wanted to see. There was one last door at the end of the hallway, and urging his feet forward, Naruto flew into the room, spotting the dark hair and shadow amass the floor. _

"_Sasuke! Hold on!"_

"Hey, Naruto?"

Naruto blinked repeatedly, and his ramen bowl faded in over the haze and fog, over piercing black eyes. Naruto looked up at old man Ichiraku, his worried gaze shaking the blond out of his depressing memories.

"You alright, Naruto? You've hardly touched your ramen." he asked thoughtfully.

Naruto smiled. "Fine, fine. I just have a lot on my mind."

The old man smiled, his wrinkles collecting on his cheeks. "Well tell that mind to get in line! Stomach's up first." he mused.

Naruto nodded with a grin. He lifted his chopsticks, breaking them apart. "Idakimas-"

There was a cold breeze, and Naruto froze. Looking over his raised arm, he spotted black hair, and pale skin. His heart thumped. Slowly, his arms settled onto the counter as he gave the Uchiha a wondrous look. Leaning back, Naruto looked over into the next seat, and was piqued to see it empty. Naruto's eyes settled back on the raven, and an ominous aura flew through his memories.

_Slipping his arms under the limp body, Naruto felt fear curl around his heart at just how light this body was._

Naruto shook his head of the haze. "Where's Sakura?" he murmured with an under tone of catechize. The silence chafed on Naruto's thin nerves. "Damn it, Uchiha!" he hissed, his fist just light of crushing his already snapped chopsticks.

Naruto stood hastily from his seat, though he stopped just short of the welcoming flags of the Ichiraku Shop. Their backs faced each other, one trembling with repressed anger, the other stiff and unwelcoming. There was a hiss of clashing chakra, and the old man twisted his head over his shoulder to watch the oncoming turmoil.

Naruto let his shoulders drop loosely, the flag gripped tightly in his hand as he bent under it to leave. "I'd hoped that if anything had ever happened to this team… to me… that you'd be there to hold it together when I can't… though, I guess that's too much to ask for."

Sasuke's skin itched to lash out. To strike the blond for his explicit words. His nerves tingled with a burn as the urge was concealed. The fire and silence licked at his ears as the blond slipped out of the shop. Such a cold vapor concentrated onto his exhausted heart, the cold breeze freezing in his lungs.

Sakura's toes curled and flexed in her sandals as she watched the ground. _I wonder if it would look weird if I ate by myself? _She starts to move towards where she knows the good barbeque is served, when she hears a muffled voice.

Naruto jumps and twists, looking over and around the many villagers that avoided touching him. "Sakura-chan!" he called. His eyes spotted the slice of pink from afar, and Naruto maneuvered around the many obstructing bodies moving the opposite way. He ran towards Sakura, her shining eyes showing surprise. His fists clenched at his sides as Sasuke's stiff shoulders, silence, and complete derision pricked at him. He smiled warmly at the girl's astonishment. "Come on, Sakura-chan."

Sakura's chin lowered the slightest, her eyes trained on the boy's chest. There was a ruffle of fabric, then Naruto's face was looking up into hers, and Sakura's eyes widened. Naruto blinked owlishly. "Sakura-chan? You okay?"

Sakura's broken smile made a new dent in Naruto's brow. "Yeah."

Naruto smiled encouragingly as he turned to venture back to his ramen, and he grasped Sakura's hand in her bewilderment. "He'll come around. And until then…" Sakura's eyes widened as the words were merely whispered. _I'll come back for you. _

Sakura's lower lip trembled slightly, and the heat in her eyes flared. _Idiot. If you're coming back for me, who will come back for you? _

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A/N

Oh no! What had happened to Sasuke?

Tell me if you can find the forshadowing(:

First chapter after the prologue, review to continue!

-MM(:


	3. Rage

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

_The body in his arms trembled, the contact of their skin like an electric shock. Cold, clammy skin rested in the palm of his hand, and the tingle ran down into his toes. Black eyes were arid and addled, searching for some sort of understanding, and it was too much. Warm and distant torrents ran down scarred cheeks, a fire deep in his belly roaring, and a jolt of adrenaline found a cluttered mind. _

_Naruto found his feet moving, his arms curling tightly around the afflicted being, the halls blurred past his eyes, the shadows clinging to his feet were far behind him now as he stepped out into the sun. The dazed eyes began to focus, the trembling becoming more subtle now. Eyes fell half closed, tolerance swimming in a pool of black._

"_N…Naru..to…" _

_The ground met his knees painfully, and Naruto watched as Sasuke's pale face bled with his tears. Everything was burning, such a heat running through him. Howls of pain and misery echoed in his ears until the sun set and a white ridden moon shone down on them._

"Naruto? Hey, Naruto…" Sakura stood behind the blond, his hand tightening around Sakura's as he stood in the entryway. Naruto had suddenly stopped, not entering, and now, he was silent. "Naruto?"

She walked up beside him, and waved her free hand in front of his eyes that were focused morosely on the Uchiha's back. Sakura's stomach felt heavy like lead as she lay her hand on his shoulder. His eyes widened, and his gaze darted to the pinkette. Sakura smiled sympathetically, and Naruto's eyes lowered as he pulled on a smile, and walked in.

Sakura let his hand go, and she stood behind the two boys at the counter. The seat next to the raven was empty as was the seat next to Naruto. Sakura's heart fluttered nervously as she looked between the seats. _Why is this so difficult? I had always sat next to Sasuke without another thought, but now… It just doesn't feel right. _Sakura's lips parted as her soft breath seemed to stick to her throat. She swallowed thickly, and lowered her eyes as Naruto had done, and sat next to the blond who was currently finishing as he held the bowl to his face.

Naruto had paused in devouring his now cold ramen as the seat next to him was being occupied. He didn't look up from his bowl as the naruto and noodle in his stomach daunted. His blue eyes narrowed, and Naruto couldn't help but to feel his food stir and dance into irritation and rage. He let his bowl drop vehemently to the counter, letting it clang disturbingly. Sakura's eyes widened, and Sasuke sat straighter. Sakura inched back as Naruto stood, his hands pushed firmly into the table.

Ichiraku's daughter, who was washing dishes, jumped as a bowl was upset behind her. She turned, and lightning like terror struck through her being as Naruto's dilated eyes leered down upon the ground with dement. They rose, and all breath left her as they burrowed into her. She dropped everything she was doing, and ran through the door, into the back of the shop.

Naruto affixed his gaze to his raven haired teammate, feeling an acrimony squirm through his stomach, and crawl up his throat.

Kakashi shuddered, feeling a sudden uneasiness. His eye brow raised with question, but he shook it off as he entered the Hokage's office. "You sent for me, Hokage-sama?"

The atmosphere that rounded the spacious office was no improvement to his uneasiness, and as Tsunade looked up from her papers, it dawned on him that something was terribly wrong. Dark auras hung from her frame, and her mouth was twisted into a scowl, though it didn't reach her eyes that showed a deep confinement. She sighed distressfully, and pressed the heels of her palms into her tired eyes.

"Yes, I did." She dropped her hands limply as she reached for her sake, downing it defiantly. Kakashi sweat dropped, his fingers worrying each other as he lifted his hands with regret.

"Uh, Hokage-sama, maybe it is a bad idea to drink when you look so.." Tsunade's eyes glared over her cup, and Kakashi felt his breath cut short as he chose his next words wisely. "..uh.."

Tsunade slammed her cup down, and flapped her wrist dismally. "Forget it, Hatake, we have other matters to settle." She settled her elbows steadily on her desk, leaning toward the jounin. "At the least of two weeks ago, neighboring countries have been experiencing unexplainable quakes that have destroyed forests and other objects in the way of it's path. Just earlier this morning, we experienced the same occurrence just outside Konoha's gate."

Kakashi's eye widened, before it narrowed. "But, Hokage-sama, surely the after shocks would have entered the village. I would have sensed it, and surely the whole village would have been effected by it."

Tsunade's nodded. "Yes, precisely, but it is obvious that that did not happen. However, while your team was out at the river with their assignment, Naruto had heard a cry for help."

Kakashi's chin lifted slightly as he recalled going to check up on them for time's sake, and one of his genin was missing. While heading back, he noticed that Naruto had gone farther up the river, and he had decided to brush it off as just a one-sided competition.

"Konohamaru's team was sent on a mission at the same moment to capture and return a women's cat. Konohamaru had went on ahead, and caught the cat on his own, but that was when it had happened. Luckily, Naruto had heard him, and gotten him out of the area in time."

Kakashi was at a standstill, his unbelieving eyes trained on the Hokage as he stood with his back straight, and his chin tilted upwards. "I don't mean to disrespect you Hokage-sama, but I do not recall this event."

Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temples roughly, not at all a way to quell a migraine. "Can I not just have one ninja believe their Hokage and not question her sanity?" she mumbled, her glinting eyes trained on the unmoving subordinate before her. "Look, Hatake, I interviewed those two, and the surrounding ninja in the area at the time. This should be handled before it gets out of hand. I do not want my ninja squished flat like pancakes with falling trees and boulders, and really it is hard to believe and nearly diabolical for any person to set up, but it is true. This is happening."

Tsunade took a deep breath, calming her nerves as she reached for her cup, renewing it of it's sake. Tsunade took the cup between tense fingers, rotating the liquid from within it. "…because Naruto has experienced this happening, I believe Team Seven is the most reliable team to scope the grounds."

Kakashi's eyes lowered, his worrying fingers curling into a loose fist. "I suppose that is true… but what about Team Kurenai? Surely Kiba, Shino, and Hinata's abilities would be a much wiser choice." he pressed.

Tsunade shook her head warily. "Kiba's nose swelled, Shino's bugs dropped suddenly without cause and he fainted, and Hinata's byakugan couldn't find anything abnormal."

Tsunade let the cup settle, and the sake rippled one last time as she set it on her desk. She sighed, catching the distressed look on Kakashi's face. "Why do you press this? Are you keeping something to yourself that suggests your team not partake this mission?"

Kakashi let his back sag with a stressed sigh. "No, Hokage-sama. It's just that not even a month has past yet since Sasuke's return… I was hoping we could get their teamwork patched together before we did any complicating missions. Naruto seems… troubled."

Tsunade nodded, throwing back her self-acquired stress reliever. "I understand, but sometimes, measures must be taken."

The light bounced off thick black hair, shadows gliding up from the pale neck to meet that still glow. Tan fingers twitched emptily, anger crawling through scarred knuckles to coil into a threatening fist. "This isn't right, Sasuke." Naruto's enraged eyes went aflame as the silence screeched and squealed in his ears like a broken door swinging on it's hinges. "Eh? Can't find anything to say to me?" He hissed, crescent shaped dents making it's way into his palm.

White hands folded assuredly over the table, and light breath assaulted the blond's ears. "Tch. If you're waiting for me to goad you on, forget about it." Naruto's temper simmered, small embers crawling up the broken door in it's sea of shadows. "People change, and I'm not the same old Sasuke, so forget about it."

Sakura sat quietly in her seat, her wide emerald eyes trained on Naruto's back. Her heart was flying as Naruto's blue chakra catastrophically encircled his body, outlasting that red tint. Sakura reached for Naruto timidly, her finger tips just short of tracing the orange jumpsuit when the clothing shifted suddenly, and Sakura's hand snapped back to her side. Her eyes lowered, her hand trembling cowardly.

"Is that wishful thinking, Sasuke?" Naruto found his hands diving into a collar of blue material, wrapping his fists around it, and pulling Sasuke out of his seat.

Sasuke let out a soft gasp of surprise as he was yanked into the air. Automatically, his hands wrapped around the wrists of his attacker who held him by the shirt. Sasuke's eyes were wide, he knew, as he stared up into the blue eyes he refused to even glimpse in a matter of months. Naruto's face was twisted into a true affliction, the lethal blue of his eyes fading and coming to life like the flickering of a light bulb. From sharp teeth, hot breath wafted across Sasuke's face as he was suspended there, and his chest felt unbearably numb.

Naruto grinded his teeth at the surprise so clearly shown on the Uchiha's face. "Is that wishful thinking, teme? Because as long as I see that boundless determination, assertive endurance, that damned snappy attitude, and familiar actuality," his eyes narrowed, a sort of comprehension shining through as his hands tightened painfully around the material in his hands, "you'll always be _Sasuke_ to me."

Sasuke's heart skidded across asphalt as it's pace hastened, and his stomach throbbed like it took a raging fist. His lungs struggled as he gasped for air, unable to keep up with his hammering heart and the redundant flare engulfing it. Naruto's eyes burrowed into him unendingly, and his hands began to slip from their grip around the tan hands. They fell weakly to his sides, waves of heat racing between the appendages and his torso.

Naruto felt a tender hand lay on his shoulder though his gaze never left the glimmering black eyes. A soft and calm voice invaded the flaming atmosphere.

"Naruto. The Hokage wishes to speak with us."

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A/N

It's a day early, but I just really wanted to put it out(:

We get a glimpse of the past, but how did it affect our little ninjas?

Second Chapter! Review to Continue!

-MM(:

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	4. Impossible Mission?

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

"_You'll always be Sasuke to me."_

"_You'll always be Sasuke to me."_

"_You'll always be Sasuke to me."_

It was echoing farther into his mind, in tune with the beating of his heart aflame. Blue so welcoming, yet intimidating, slid across the white of their eyes to keep the gaze as Naruto turned his head slightly towards their sensei. Sasuke felt the hard edge of the seat meet his dangling legs, the grip on his shirt loosening. It was quiet, and Kakashi's tightened grip on the blonds' shoulder was like the whir of strained leather in the silence.

Sasuke couldn't tear his eyes away from the ice blue irises leering at him just from the corner of Naruto's eyes. They were like pins. Darts, thrown right into him, almost all seeing, but not quite. It felt like hours they were staring at him, questioning. Searching; raising hot fires of energy exploding inside of him. Then, it was over in seconds. Suddenly, they wandered away from him, diving behind tan eyelids, and Sasuke's fire drained quietly.

A tired sigh blew strong, Naruto's chakra releasing into the tense air. "…okay,"

Sasuke dropped into his seat, Naruto's open hands hovering over the raven's head. Naruto looked down into his empty hands, and Sasuke knew that if they turned ever so slightly, Naruto would be looking at him again. They never turned. Naruto closed his eyes as he dropped one hand to his side, and ran the other through his hair. He turned to their sensei, and Sasuke's heart slowed rapidly, almost freezing. His chest felt cold again.

Sasuke dropped his eyes and placed a hesitating hand over his exhausted heart, now beating ever so slowly. It was almost as if the cold was a poison, crawling back onto his heart now, wrapping around his lungs. The air was freezing again; ice coating the inside of his lungs. Sasuke's fingers scraped the material roughly as his fist closed around it. It was cold.

Sasuke's eyes widened as a warm, heavy hand settled on his shoulder. That hand gave a slight squeeze, patted his shoulder, and then it slowly slid away, leaving the warmth in it's wake to tingle and spread. Sasuke's head slowly rose, watching Naruto walk away at a leisurely pace, his hands resting in his pockets.

Sakura watched as Sasuke stood unsteadily, staring after the blond astonishingly. She worried her bottom lip, looking between her sensei and teammate, wondering just what was going on. _Why don't I understand? This is my team… and I can't even see what's going on right in front of my eyes. _Sakura's brow furrowed, her eyes dropping to the ground. _Why?_

"_He'll come around. And until then… I'll come back for you."_

Her eyes stung, and a sharp pain ran through her lip as her jaw grew taut. _Why? _

"Sakura?"

Sakura's head shot up, catching Sasuke's dark eyes. They seemed hazy, though almost as if they realized a great deal. _Why don't I know? Why am I-_

"You're crying."

Sakura's eyes widened, and slowly, she reached up hesitantly, touching her wet cheek. She brought her hand back, and stared wonderingly at her dripping fingertips. A white cloth was placed in her hands, and she sniffled profusely at the sight of it. She went to dab her eyes, when a soft chuckle made her freeze. Her shining eyes slowly rose, and Sasuke's amused smirk sent a light feeling through her chest.

"You're still annoying, you know." he murmured, leaning against the counter, looking fatigued.

Sakura's light chest fluttered, and her face contorted with worry. "Sasuke-kun! Are you hurt? Are you okay? You look-"

Sasuke raised a hand to cut her off, his smirk lingering still. "I'm fine, but you-" the words froze, his eyes drifting away, and he sighed. "but you look confused…" Sasuke turned his eyes back curiously. "Why?"

Sakura flinched as Sasuke's eyes questioned her. _Why? _"I… I don't know what's happening to our team…"

Sasuke was quiet, contemplating, then he chuckled weakly. Sasuke looked off, a far away gaze, seeing something only his eyes could view so full of distraught. "Truthfully… I don't either…"

"_He'll come around. And until then… I'll come back for you."_

Sakura's hands tightened around the cloth given to her so effortlessly. Sasuke stared on, lost in his thoughts. "…Naruto… he knows." Sakura swallowed hard, clearing her throat as Sasuke lowered his eyes, his hand still hanging on above his heart. Sakura's hand twitched at her side relentlessly, and her stomach hardened. She narrowed her eyes determinedly, and reached for Sasuke's free hand. Grasping it, Sasuke's surprised eyes darted to hers, and she gave a weak smile, pulling Sasuke into a walk after their blond companion. "…He'll show us."

Kakashi leaned on the back of his heels, his one visible eye gazing prominently after his students. An amused smile creased his mask as Kakashi followed in an upbeat fashion after them.

"_I don't understand this, sensei." Kakashi turned his eyes down at his student, and Naruto's gaze was a longing one, focused on the far, shadowed figure just ahead of them. "I just… want to know." _

_Kakashi lowered his eyes further, Naruto's overpowering melancholy getting to him. He lay his hand atop the blond head, ruffling the locks so easily gliding under his palm. "Naruto," he began softly, "people change. You can't guarantee someone will come back from such an experience radiant and joyful." _

_Naruto narrowed his eyes, feeling a hardening and numb feeling crust along his skin. "No, sensei, that is not what I meant. I know, I guarantee that he will be Sasuke, I know he will." _

_Kakashi's one eye opened a fraction wider._

"_But… his feelings, they're so- dark." Naruto couldn't help his pride from diminishing, his chin falling to rest against his chest. "I just wish I could… I want to know that I can save him from them…"_

His heart ached for his student; he couldn't describe this irritating sensation in his chest any other way.

Emerald eyes glistened with astonishment, darting awkwardly around the small room. The piles of sake bottles in the corner of the stuffy office seemed to be alive as they slowly rolled about each other. Sakura's fingers grabbed at the material of her dressings and her bottom lip was caught between her teeth as her nervous habits shown through. The great hokage's office was chilling to say the least, and not an improvement to the earlier situation.

Sakura's eyes slid to the left, and she slowly scooted toward her orange counterpart, knowing Tsunade had special respect for Naruto. She felt him acknowledge her presence in the calm way his chakra settled, and as hard as Sakura tried to keep a grasp on her braced and anticipating nature, she relaxed next to her teammate.

Sasuke stood to the right of Sakura, his weight shifted onto his right foot, though he would never admit the more placid feeling he gained when he stood so close to his teammates. His eyes were trained on the Hokage's cold stare defiantly, though his posture was relaxed. Tsunade raised a skeptical eyebrow at him, and Sasuke mirrored her. The hazel eyes narrowed, and the great hokage stuck her tongue out at the raven haired brat. Sasuke's eyes grew exceptionably wide as he blanched at his hokage.

Naruto fidgeted in place, his earnestness getting the best of him. "Come on! What do you want you _old hag?!_" he squawked.

Tsunade's eyes shot to the blond disturbingly, and Naruto glared right back. "What did you call me _gaki?_"she hissed.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, his tongue clucking against the roof of his mouth. "_Old. Hag._" he spat.

Tsunade stood from her seat so fast it tipped over in an unsettling crash. Her pointer finger snapped in Naruto's direction, a vein popping under her eye. "Listen here _brat! _I can give you a month's worth of _vacation _if you want to disrespect your hokage like that!"

Naruto flinched excessively with wide eyes, and shook his head animatedly.

Tsunade smirked, plopping down into her seat sloppily. She leaned forward onto her elbows as Kakashi sighed agitatedly. "There is a special job needed of you."

Sakura tensed, feeling Naruto stiffen at these words. She dared glance at him, surprised to see such a rigid expression from the normally lively look he had about him. To further worry her, Tsunade's eyes focused solely on the blond.

"You are to scout the immediate area around the village, mainly near the river you had just relieved of garbage. The recent activity there has been nothing of regularity, and I want to know the best form of action I must take so that my village is safe, and my shinobi be at the best of their ability."

Sasuke and Sakura had no doubt in their minds that she was only trying to convince one them, that being Naruto.

Tsunade continued, making her voice as soft as possible. "Your clones would be the best choice as to searching the entire sight without harming yourself, and even if something were to happen, Sasuke, Kakashi, and Sakura would be there to-"

"No." Tsunade paused, closing her mouth as the next words were lost. Naruto's eyes creased crossly, the hurt shining through. "I thought I told you I didn't want to put my team in danger."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, forcing the power of her stature upon the boy. "You are the only one with experience of the incident that is able to enter the sight and get out _alive. _Do you not want to help your village?"

Naruto breath was thin, coming from him like a hiss. "It was decided that if I was needed, it would be me, not my team. Are you saying that what we discussed was a lie?"

Tsunade stood angrily once more, her hands tightening into fists against the hard surface of her desk. "Damn it, Naruto! I also said that I would not let you enter that damned sight alone!" Tsunade stopped herself from continuing in such a way, lowering her voice. "We need this Naruto. If not your team, would you send anyone else into that situation without the experience you possess?"

Naruto was silent, his lips dry with the oncoming of words, "I-"

"Are we not good enough?" Naruto froze, his eyes turning slowly, settling on a shadowed mass that looked upon him with gray eyes. "Are you afraid we can't handle it, scared-y cat?"

Comprehension, he could not grasp. Naruto watched as Sasuke seemed to fade into a tunnel vision, slowly moving away into a white light. Crisp sheets so clearly outlining the dark figure he was in Naruto's memory.

"_He might not hold out over night,"_

"_Are you listening?"_

"_He might be gone by morning."_

"_I'm staying. I'm not scared."_

"_That's beside the point. He-"_

"Shut the hell up, teme!"

Everyone but the quarrelers jumped at the unexpected outburst. Sasuke smirked, turning his eyes down. "I just thought you needed to be reminded of how stupid you sound right now."

"What'd you say?!" Naruto growled.

"Naruto." Naruto turned aggressively to his hokage, and she sighed. "The mission."

Naruto grumbled, flexing his fists. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

He was annoyed yes, but… Naruto turned away from all the eyes, his smile forcing his teeth to show. _I knew you'd come back!_

_

* * *

_

A/N

I am _so so so so so so sorry! _

This is like forever late!!

Home is just impossibly uncooperative right now- so much going on, and my testing was UNGODLY.

I will get these as fast as i can so i can get back track next Sunday-

again, I'm _soooooooooooooo sorry!! _T_T

Sasuke was in the hospital fataly(if you didn't understand - -')! Tsunade goes against Naruto's wishes, and if you don't remember, Tsunade had held interviews and that was when they had the discusion they speak of..

Chapter Three! Review to Continue!

-MM(:


	5. The Past

**Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Naruto stomped his way up the stairs to his home, each step creaking ominously under his wrath. His face was twisted with dark sarcasm. "_You'll begin tomorrow,_" he mocked. "_You are to search the whole sight and report on anything suspicious,_ she says. Bah!" Naruto swung open the door, the momentum slamming into the wall caused a moan of abuse to rumble from his apartment. He slammed the door behind him, and kicked off his shoes. "Isn't it suspicious enough that trees are_ attacking people?!_"

"Obviously not."

Naruto squealed awkwardly, pressing his back against the wall of his kitchen. Sasuke sat at his table nonchalantly, his legs crossed, and his chin resting in the palm of his hand. Naruto scowled darkly, aware of the eyes following him as he moved to his refrigerator.

He pulled out an apple, reaching in for more cold items that could maybe dull the unusual heat growing in the pit of his stomach. "What are you doing in my apartment?" he groaned, uncapping a water bottle.

Sasuke raised a questioning eyebrow at the others back. "Am I not allowed?"

Naruto frowned, wiping his mouth. "Well it would be nice if you didn't break in."

Naruto closed his fridge, turning to look at the raven accusingly. Sasuke was watching his knees it looked like, and Naruto encircled the table until he was on the opposite side. Naruto paused, not knowing what to say. "You kept them," came a murmur, and Naruto lowered his eyes, turning his back on the raven's searching eyes to open his cupboard. Sasuke shuffled the photographs through his hands, each one getting closer to the present. "on a night stand next your bed…"

"You going to start raiding through my things too?" Naruto grumbled, boxes and cans tipping over in his pointless search to map out the bottom of his cupboard.

Sasuke straightened the pictures of him and Naruto that ranged from a fight to a happy moment. He laid them gently on the table, his eyes scanning the faced up picture of Naruto flashing a victory sign with his arm wrapped around Sasuke's neck. A landed salmon flopped on the raven's drenched head.

"…why?"

Naruto scowled, looking over his shoulder at Sasuke's back. "I don't know! It's something you would do."

Sasuke shook his head. "No, why did you keep them after all this time? After I…"

Naruto swallowed thickly, standing to tower over the sitting figure. He sighed, setting his hand on a rigid shoulder that slowly unwound under his palm. "You're my friend Sasuke, what do you think I felt when you were gone? When I didn't know what you were doing day by day? When you were with that-" Naruto's eyes narrowed, his thoughts pinching off the venom from his voice when he almost mentioned Orochimaru.

"…I thought you would be angry, hate me after I did- all those things to you… all the things I said…"

Sasuke's began to recall them, and his white pants formed creased folds under his fists. He tried to feed the warmth from Naruto's hand, but he felt as numb as he did from the beginning. Stale air and cold ice continued to well up inside him. He couldn't take anything more than what he had already taken from this person whom he betrayed so greatly. Sasuke barely blinked when a static like shock was sent between their clashing emotions.

Naruto frowned as his palms began to sweat. His thoughts began to race into a jumbled mess inside his head. _I can never hope to be trusted again, I don't even deserve all that has been given back to me. _Images of that day at the Valley of the End flew to the forefront of his mind, a mirror of himself laying unconscious on the hard ground as rain pored down around him. Naruto gripped the broad shoulder under his hand for balance as he felt his chest well up with terrifying emotion. Naruto dropped all the items that were tucked under his arm to the floor in his haste to hold his weighted head. The image of his tan face twisted, bled, and it wasn't him anymore, it was Sasuke. Sasuke with dull eyes that searched for a reason why. _I can't be forgiven. I did this I did this…_

Sasuke jumped, the clattering shocking him out of his stupor. He winced, feeling Naruto's fingers press ruthlessly into his flesh. He glanced over them, white glaze spread through the tan fingers with the pressure they were applying. Sasuke looked up. "Naruto, you're hur-" Sasuke's eyes widened as he recognized the look terror on Naruto's face, and he jumped to his feet, placing his own hands on the other's shoulders. "Naruto! Naruto, what's wrong?"

Pain exploded in his temples, and Naruto cried out, dropping to his knees. The boards before his eyes twisted and blurred, darkened and spun into a dirty orange, it's rough texture scarping his knees. His chest felt cold and wet, and he gasped for air that gave him no relief. He looked for Sasuke, Sasuke who would tell him it would go away- Sasuke's pale face that stared at him lifelessly. _I couldn't get here fast enough, I did this I did this… I can't be forgiven… _Naruto's eyes widened, and he rashly shoved Sasuke away from himself.

Sasuke felt a hard palm shove him square in the chest, and he was thrown backwards into the wall. His eyes snapped up to the blond as Naruto's cries raised an octave. Blue eyes glittered in his direction, though they did not see him as terror and pain splashed red across his iris and a shrill scream tore from his throat. Sasuke's heart rammed into his ribs. Tears poured down Naruto's scarred cheeks, helplessness shining dimly within his wide eyes. Sasuke breathed unevenly, feeling a prickly sensation rise on his skin. He reached for his friend, and a fierce shock of electricity shot through him. Sasuke gritted his teeth, feeling lightheaded. Naruto's crumpled form began to blur from his sight, a memory taking hold of him.

_It's quiet. So quiet but far from peaceful. He's alone. Orochimaru left him there because it was too late for him now. Poison clogged his throat, and he couldn't breath with damaged lungs. The ceiling stared him down, no one else to see him slip away. But it's okay. He had decided long ago that no matter what happened, he would not look back. It was fated to happen this way; he was an Uchiha to follow the darkness, and he had closed his eyes so long ago that nothing mattered now. Nothing but his brother. _

"_Sasuke!"_

_Sasuke felt the corners of his mouth turn down, and his chest began to sag around his hardened lungs. _

"_Sasuke! Where are you?!"_

_Sasuke forced his riddled mind to turn his neck, just as his door burst open. Sasuke was over come with blinding light, a tall figure standing before him. _

"_Sasuke!" The figure slipped into the fog of poison, their knees falling beside him, and warm hands palmed his cheeks. "Hold on!"_

_Sasuke tried to raise his hands, to push the stranger away. "…no…go away…" he managed to gasp._

_The stranger ignored his command, and instead slid their arms under his body, and hoist him into the air. Sasuke grunted weakly as his pounding head lolled on the stranger's arm and into their chest. The man was shaking him erratically- no, Sasuke was convulsing. A weird sensation like rain fell on him and Sasuke felt like a wave of exhaustion crash into him. Sasuke placed his hand on the fabric of the man's shirt, and tried to push away, but then he realized the feeling of familiarity flow through his clouded chest. _

"_Damn it! Where the hell is the fucking exit?!" the figure growled, his rumbling voice sending vibrations through his chest that followed up Sasuke's arm. _

_Sasuke gasped as his body jolted when the man began to run. Faintly, he could hear the opening of doors, and more hushed curses._

"_Sasuke…" the man panted. "Stay awake!" he yelled. _

_The warm arms held him more closely, and Sasuke could smell ash, almost as if the man was charred by fire. The warmth surrounded him, and he began to feel light. _

"_Shit, stay awake!" _

_Sasuke could feel a heat raging against his side. The man roared such as a cornered animal, and the heat flared. Sasuke could hear the wind blowing in his ears as the man ran with all his strength. Sasuke felt the body turn so quickly his head spun. The body jerked against him, and the distant sound of a crashing building was overlapped by an orange light attacking his eyes. _

_The man gasped for air, and Sasuke could feel ground meet his back gently. The man bent over him, the sun shadowing his front side and showing Sasuke the figure's face more clearly as he tore the mask away from his face. Scars traced the _boy's_ cheeks, his pained blue eyes glassy and crying down on Sasuke's body. Sasuke blinked, trying to make out the age his ex-teammate had come to be._

"_N…Naru..to…"_

"_Sasuke, Sasuke it'll be okay… I promise… I'll save you…" he sniffed, pulling out a scroll from his bag. _

Sasuke shook his head, covering his ears and closing his eyes tightly as if he could block out the next moment. "No, this isn't true."

_Naruto rolled up his sleeves and took out a brush, writing on his arms. His tears dripped onto his arms, causing him to wipe them away and rewrite the words. When he finished, Naruto placed his hands on Sasuke's chest and murmured a series of chants._

Sasuke folded his legs against his chest, his teeth clenched. "No, no! Stop him!"

_Sasuke felt a slight static shock, and Naruto's face bloomed with pain. A pulling sensation rose in Sasuke's chest, slithering up his throat, and he began to cough haphazardly. Naruto howled in pain, yet he didn't remove his hands. He continued to chant until Naruto bit down on his bottom lip, ripping open the skin. Blood trailed down his chin, dripping onto his arms. Sasuke closed his eyes, coughing up a sour liquid that spurted into the air. His lungs suddenly opened up, and Sasuke took a gasping breath. _

_He shot up into a sitting position, choking on it until he managed to spit out the last of the thick liquid onto the earth. He panted, his eyes trailing along the ground until they met two bloody hands folded against the orange gravel in the sunset. Sasuke looked up, and terror struck through him. Naruto's arms were split open in long streaks, blood pouring unendingly. Blood pooled on the front of his jacket, and Sasuke had to assume it came from his chest. Naruto's eyes were relieved, yet struck with pain and blood that ran down his cheeks in torrents._

"_Sasuke…" he rasped, spitting blood. Naruto reached for him just as his eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he collapsed forward. _

Sasuke screamed, tearing the memory to shreds in his mind. Grasping hands tore his hands away, and shook his shoulder.

"Sasuke! Sasuke!"

Sasuke struggled wildly, kicking and swinging. "No! No!"

"Ugh! Kiba, help me!"

Sasuke felt another pair of restricting hands grab hold of his legs, and hold him down. Sasuke's chest pressed against the floor, and he felt a weight sit down on his back. He screamed and bucked, yet nothing prevailed.

"Naruto! Naruto! It's not true; it's not true, you idiot!"

* * *

A/N

I'm not even going to start apologizing as much as i should, because it will take up all of my auther note! so ill just say it once.

SORRY!!!!! and you all know why im apologizing, so- yeah.

on top of home and testing- i got SICK! it was just so unfair. =_=' i had to make up everthing and UGH, it was just horrible.

anyways- Now you know what really happened between our boys! but what was the jutsu Naruto used and why didn't they remember until now?

Chapter Four(finally)! Review to Continue!

-MM:D


	6. I Almost Died

**Chapter 5**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

* * *

The slam of a door was followed by the opening of heavy eyes.

"Oh, good, you're awake." a sarcastic voice rang out in the otherwise quiet room. "Hey, sit up."

Sasuke dragged his sluggish arms to push himself up. His head swam, and he gasped when cold hands immediately began to probe his chest. He couldn't help but to slouch forward, a weight in his chest dragging him down. The hands gently levered him, continuing with their inspection. Sasuke blinked repeatedly, trying to clear his fuzzy vision. He vaguely took in the blurry hospital room, hearing a static like crackle in his ears as he turned his head. The static became a pounding as a figure bent to the ground in the looming dark of his mind. Sasuke frowned lightly, focusing his train of thought around their weary smile and numerous wounds. Sasuke jolted, his hands splitting through the air to grip the pressing hands. Sasuke lifted his dry eyes to the medic, Tsunade.

"Haven't we done this examination once before?"

Tsunade gazed coolly at the sound of his gravely voice, her hazel eyes distressed. Though Sasuke attempted to gruffly hold her hands still, she continued her ministrations. "Ah, so you remember. I figured you would when I heard you threw a fit in Naruto's apartment."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. _Naruto… that's right. He had the same attack just before I did… _Sasuke felt his breath catch in the phlegm of his throat. He let a light cough pass through before continuing to inhale. "Why did we not remember until now?"

Tsunade withdrew her hands, picking up a clipboard next to her, and writing down her examinations. "I haven't found anything new. You say your chest is cold and irritated, and yet it seems fine. There is no internal damage."

He gave the hokage his darkest glare, willing his eyes not to awaken. "Why did it not occur to us that a part of our memory was missing?"

Tsunade didn't meet his gaze. "I had your memories replaced because the two of you were traumatized… Youwere overcome with extreme guilt and rage, and Naruto…" Tsunade sighed, leaning back in her seat, her eyes glistening. "Naruto would wake numerous times from his rest, screaming hysterically."

Sasuke lowered his eyes, his fist clenching next to him. _He was in pain. Because I- _Sasuke shook his head, ending that thought. _I won't make that mistake again; I won't think about that…_

"_This isn't right, Sasuke."_

Sasuke's brow furrowed, his frown deepening. _But that… Naruto did know. Not consciously, but somewhere in his mind, he knew… he wanted someone to tell him the truth. Sakura could see it, she knew he was at a conflict with himself. _Sasuke turned his gaze to his hokage angrily. "…It _was_ there, wasn't it?" He grinded his teeth, his heart aching. "He could feel it there, in his subconscious. He knew that his memory was a lie. That's why he was so restless and awkward all the time, easy to snap. That's why he goes off by himself… hiding it behind that damned smile of his."

Tsunade's mouth opened, but at first no sound came out. "…I didn't intend to… it was the best we could do without hurting him further. There was so much stress put on his body-"

"I don't care!" Sasuke raced down his arm, and he found it arching down onto the side stand. It slammed down onto its smooth surface with such force that the contents resting there jumped catastrophically, and crashed to the ground. Tsunade pushed back into her chair, her hands drawn back defensively. "Why?! Why did he risk his life like that for _me?!_" he bellowed, his head bowed and breath trying to reach him as anger struck through him. His chest prickled oddly, and it only added to his confusion and frustration. "Why?" he growled.

"_Sasuke, Sasuke it'll be okay… I promise… I'll save you…" _

_It was like he was pleading to himself, 'please don't let Sasuke die'. _Sasuke's eyes narrowed, lifting his fist from the dented stand, and dropping it halfheartedly. "How did he find such a scroll..?" Sasuke thought restlessly, his fist trembling lightly.

Tsunade folded her unsteady hands in her lap, swallowing around the lump in her throat. "…I- I have it in my possession now, and a seal has been placed on it so that only the hokage is able to-"

"How did he get it?" Sasuke persisted with a growl.

Tsunade took a shaky breath, raising her glaring eyes. "I believe it was when I had Naruto running errands for me a few months before your return. I had sent him to the library to pick up a few things for me. I trusted him enough to get them, but I didn't expect him to find-"

"Something like _that _was in the fucking _public _library?!" Sasuke scowled darkly, his fist clenching around the crisp sheets. "You didn't even realize it was gone for almost _three _months?!"

Tsunade's temper rose. "We didn't know it was there, Uchiha." She ground out, trying to keep her voice low and under control. She sighed, her mood again plummeting as her eyes dropped to her folded hands in her lap. "It's just like him to go off and do something so drastic on his own…"

Sasuke found his anger dissipating, and brought his now sore hand to the handle on his bed. _Naruto… what if he found more than that one scroll? _Sasuke was overcome with anxiousness, throwing his legs over the side of the mattress and standing hurriedly onto the swaying floor. Tsunade jumped to her feet, surprise covering her tired features.

"What are you doing so suddenly_? _Lay down immediately! You need to rest!"

"I _need_ to see Naruto." he proclaimed, his tone carrying finality.

* * *

_Sterile chemicals filled his nose, and he refused to rub his irritated eyes even if he could. The rope tying him down to his bed chafed a great deal as he struggled roughly. It was beginning to push his shirt up off his stomach and goose bumps were oddly settling on his blazing skin. He settled temporarily, is neck beginning to cramp as his drooping eyes steadied on the still figure in the parallel bed. The white sheets swallowed the pale skin while the black hair stood out against them. _Is he okay? I have to know…

"…_s…" his throat was raw and scratchy, causing him to cough. He tried to clear it, licking his chapped lips. "..sa-" he didn't get far, his voice dieing out into another gasping cough. _

_He sucked in a breath, his head once again turning toward his friend. Heat balled behind his eyes. _My voice could never reach out to him, it never had, so why am I trying so hard? _His throat ached horribly as a lump seemed to form within it. His head lifted, and he slammed it down as hard as he could into a hospital's pillow. His struggles renewed, his hands twisting under the rope to grip and pull. If Sasuke couldn't hear him, he had to get him to see him. _

_Grunts of pain echoed in the white room as the rope cut into the bandages on his arms and chest, tearing and ripping it away. Searing pain bloomed deep inside him, and hot, dry air swept up his throat and out his open mouth in a silent scream. The surrounding blanket began to feel damp and stick to his itching skin. He vaguely recalled the smell of his own blood. He was so weighted down by the early sedatives that he could barely think straight. The off-white ceiling began to blur, and it flew by him as he turned to look once more at the other occupant in his room. _

Naruto's eyes opened almost as if he wasn't sleeping at all, seeing the familiar ceiling. He blinked half consciously, sitting up to see Shikamaru at the foot of his bed, playing Shougi in a stiff chair. His bored eyes lifted, and he set the board aside.

"How are you feeling?" he inquired.

Naruto turned his body away from his guest, looking at the other bed. It was empty and made. Naruto's eyes lowered. "…I was in the hospital too…" he absently rubbed his arm.

_A nurse entered his room, her face grim. Naruto's eyes disobeyed him, falling closed, and the audio reigned over the darkness._

Shikamaru's brow furrowed, and he crossed his arms against his chest. "…Yeah, you and Sasuke had some sort of fight at your apartment, and you both passed out."

Naruto's eyes snapped half way to their destination, trying not to glare at his guest. "We weren't fighting. I was trying to…" Naruto trailed off with a grunt, rubbing his eyes roughly. _What was I trying to do?_

_Cold hands ran over him, tugging his shirt down, and checking his pulse. The nurses foot steps ventured around him, the shuffling of cords and other objects peaked Naruto's hazy curiosity. She then clicked away with her high heels, and Naruto strained himself to listen, the silence fuzzy in his ears._

A chair creaked quietly as Shikamaru probably leant forward. "What's wrong?"

"_Ah, Uchiha. You're awake. How are you-"_

"_Is he going to be okay?" _

_Naruto's blood heated at the quiet voice. He's awake? _

Naruto paused, confused, and shook his head softly with a mumbled, "Never mind." His eyes focused on the window, a black bird on the outside sill was chirping. _…I almost… _

"…_I'm sorry, but I was told he might not hold out over night." _

_Silence came crashing in, and the nurses clothes ruffled, indicating her nervous shifting._

"_A-are you listening? He might be gone by morning… Now if you would come with me-"_

"_No. I'm staying. I'm not scared of this trial and I don't want to deal with any confrontations right now, so leave me."_

"_T-that's beside the point! He might die, that it is inevitable, but you need to come with me this instant to hear you charges!"_

"_I'm not leaving him. I'll hear them when I get there."_

_The nurse huffed indignantly, and the clicking faded like the snuffing of a candle. _

The bird looked at him suddenly, and stared. _I almost killed myself… I was the one who almost died… Why didn't I re- _Naruto's eyes widened, and his gaze snapped to Shikamaru. "Where's Sasuke?"

Shikamaru flinched, looking a little ruffled at the sudden sting of unruly chakra in the air. He stood, stuffing his hands in his pockets and eyeing Naruto carefully who watched him with serious eyes. There was a long pause before Shikamaru answered. "He's already preparing for your mission today."

A quick decision snapped in Naruto's blue eyes, and he jumped hurriedly out of bed, grabbing his clothes off the stand. He yanked them on, his jacket falling off one shoulder and his pants sagging. "Thanks! Bye Shikamaru!" he called behind him, pulling his waistband over his green and orange printed frog boxers as he rushed out the door.

Shikamaru's eyes widened, and he trailed him to the doorway. "Wait, Naruto!" he called down the hallway, but it was too late as an orange clad body disappeared around the corner. Shikamaru sighed, exasperated. "Wrong excuse…"

He paused, hearing footsteps echo toward him from down the opposite side of the hall. He slowly glanced over his shoulder uncertainly, spotting Sasuke who seemed to be power walking toward him and still maintaining a look of typical Uchiha aloof as the Hokage hurried after him. He turned his head forward. _…this is bad. Why did they have to pick me to do this? _He grumbled to himself as they came to a stop behind him. He could feel Sasuke's eyes boring into him. _He already knows too…_

"Where is he?" Sasuke asked with dark sarcasm.

Shikamaru turned halfway toward them, his lips pressed tightly together. The hokage ran her hands over her face. "great…" she mumbled through her slender fingers.

* * *

A/N

D: sasuke's mad! ..isnt he always though?

i'm putting up two in a row!

Review to Continue! Seriously! Review!

-MM(:


	7. Vigilant Eyed Bird

**Chapter 6**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

_

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_

Who would put this lazy idiot in charge of Naruto?

Sasuke looked over the boy's shoulder and down the hall, spying the stumbling nurses that were fixing themselves up after what looked like a tornado attack.

"He took off like Ichiraku was burning down." Shikamaru murmured, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly as his eyes rolled toward the ceiling.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at Shikamaru. "It may not be your _troublesome problem_ if Naruto runs off, Nara, but he was put under _your _responsibility."

Shikamaru dropped his hand with a frown. "You're not the only one around here who cares about that goof, Uchiha. He _is_ my business, no matter how troublesome he is. Stop going around talking shit if you don't know what you're talking about to begin with."

"Boys!" Both pairs of angry and insulted eyes swiveled toward their hokage who set her hands superiorly on her hips. "Stop bickering like PMS'ing women and help me find him!"

Shikamaru's eyes widened as his face reddened, and Sasuke adverted his eyes with a snort. "To my knowledge, he ran through those nurses." He pointed a thumb over his shoulder at the nurses complaining to each other at the intersection down the hall.

Shikamaru cleared his throat behind a gentle fist, willing his blush to die down. "I told him that Uchiha was already preparing for team seven's mission today."

"He's heading toward the bridge then." Tsunade nodded, taking off down the hall. With a side glance at the quiet Uchiha, Shikamaru followed.

Sasuke stared after them, before turning his eyes to the room's window where a black bird watched him attentively. _If he thinks I'm preparing, he's going to do the same… _Sasuke raised a skeptical brow. _Or at least go home and laze until he thinks it's time to meet us. _Sasuke shook his head softly with a light breath, heading toward the window. The bird finally flew away to a short distance as the glass pane was swiftly opened.

Sasuke leapt nimbly across the roofs, the familiar whistling of the air whirred in his ears as he headed to the tall apartment building in his view. _Although, if he did find something other than that one scroll… _Sasuke frowned. _Idiot. _He landed neatly on the kitchen window's outside sill, pressing his fingers into the frame to keep balance. The fluttering of wings met his ears, and Sasuke tensed as small talons sat on his shoulder. He blinked, and shifted slowly as to see the black bird from earlier. Its black beady eyes were still, looking into Sasuke's own, when a loud crash beyond the window caused it to hastily beat the coop. _Strange…_

"Stupid hospital thinks it knows what's good for me! Just a little longer, and I'd learn to handle it." Naruto's grumbling came muffled through the glass. Sasuke looked in, catching the blond balancing on a chair tipped on one leg, reaching for the shelf on his kitchen wall. "Stupid Anbu doing whatever the hell they want! They're my memories! My decisions!" He nudged his plant aside, wrapping his hand around the spine of an old book. "My-"

_Knock, knock, knock._

Naruto screeched, turning hurriedly toward the window. In his haste, the chair tilted under his foot, and Naruto gasped when the seat of the chair knocked his leg for underneath him. He was then falling forward, and his chin slammed into the kitchen table, collapsing to a heap on the hardwood floor.

Sasuke winced. _Oops… _His guilt was short lasted, however, as his eyes honed in on the old book clutched in Naruto's hand. The blonde slowly brought his arms in to push himself up. The air was knocked out of his lungs, and he grunted as he came to sit up. His eyes were sharp when they landed on the kneeling raven behind his kitchen window. "Teme!" he bellowed.

Sasuke only stared blankly, knocking once more on the window.

Naruto scowled, squatting and picking up his chair. "Why don't you just break in? You had no problem with that yesterday."

Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I came to help you get ready. God only knows what you'd bring along on a serious mission." he channeled through the glass.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at the other, and turned away. He walked out into the hallway, out of the raven's view. Sasuke reached down, opening the pane in one swift pull. He stepped down into the room, and headed toward the bedroom where Naruto wandered about, collecting weapons and of the sort. Sasuke's eyes searched the room once he noticed that Naruto was no longer holding the book in hand.

Naruto turned to him, crossing his arms across his chest and tilting his head to the side with a light frown. "What do you really want, Sasuke?"

Sasuke raised a brow with a smirk. "Only to help you prepare. You seemed a little frightened in the hokage's office when she mentioned the mission."

Naruto's brow furrowed, his eyes dark and serious. "Sasuke."

Sasuke was at a standstill. Never had he seen such an expression on Naruto's face. That irritating, warm feeling was back, crawling in his chest. Sasuke tried not to fidget under the blond's scrutiny.

Naruto pursed his lips, looking directly into the raven's eyes. "There's something strange going on in that area of the forest. Those trees were ripped up from the roots, not just blown over in the middle of some battle."

Sasuke tilted his chin down in thought. "Earth technique?"

Naruto's gaze hardened, lowering his eyes. "I'm assuming, but we can't be sure until we check it out."

_He may actually have a brain… _Sasuke pocketed his hands, shifting his weight onto one foot. "You don't seem too sure about that plan."

Naruto closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. "When I found Konohamaru during our field mission at the river-"

"So you didn't just head further up the river." he stated knowingly.

Naruto shook his head. "I had left the river entirely."

Sasuke leaned on the doorframe, his eyes hardening. "And that is because…" he trailed.

"I heard something." Naruto stated proudly, a grin stretching across his face. "When _you_ didn't."

Sasuke was sure his eye twitched. "And?"

"And that was when I first encountered the sight." Naruto tipped his chin, leaning back against the far wall of his room. "I heard someone call for help, and at first I thought I was hearing things. But then, I felt this weird shift in the muck of the river."

"Like, it moved?" Naruto nodded enthusiastically, "So, that also leads to an earth technique."

"Right. That's what I put together. When I entered the forest, I hurried towards the voice's direction, when the trees started falling."

Sasuke frowned, his brow furrowing. "They just started falling? There was no warning?"

Naruto's face screwed up comically. "Well, there was this trembling in the trees, and then they just shot out of the ground!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands up into the air. "And then they attacked me." he ended with a nod, folding his arms.

Sasuke sighed. _So much for the brain on his part…_ He straightened his features and moved away from the wall. "So that's it then?"

"No." Sasuke paused upon his departure, looking back over his shoulder at the blond who was suddenly serious again. "When I got Konohamaru out of there, his team was standing just outside the forest by the gate. They just went on their merry way when Konohamaru returned."

Sasuke blinked confusedly. "They didn't hear it?"

Naruto shook his head, and continued when Sasuke once again entered his room. "They had no idea. They didn't hear it, and you can't see it from outside unless you're in the area of the destruction." Naruto sulkily frowned. "All that sharp wood on the forest floor was scary if you thought about falling on it." He shivered.

Sasuke deadpanned. "Naruto."

Naruto looked up. "Ah, sorry." he grinned once more. "Anyways, I went back to see if there was anyone else who got caught in the middle of it, because I just _barely_ squeezed through all the falling branches and crap. There was a _jounin _who was injured earlier that morning, which means that no one could hear her either."

_A jounin? _"But couldn't she have just made a summon or something?"

Naruto jutted his chin in confusion. "See, that's a thing too. She was obviously delusional, so she didn't think of that. She just sat there and waited for someone to find her. I didn't see how she could be in such a state of shock though, when really all she had for injuries was a sprained ankle and a shallow cut on her neck." Naruto shifted awkwardly. "But then, her ankle was bruised and cut, and the blood was bubbling." Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction whereas Naruto squinted his eyes, looking squeamish. "I checked on her in the hospital after the interrogations, and she looked _really _pale- like you but only worse. And her heart beat was really slow too, but it was like she was hyperventilating. I was worried and all, so I asked the medics what was wrong with her, but they said they can only give that information to the family…"

Sasuke watched as Naruto's mood plunge into the dumps, his worried blue eyes swiping the floor. Sasuke adverted his eyes, unconsciously rubbing at his chest. "Don't worry so much." Naruto's eyes shot up, locking on Sasuke's lightly flushed face though the raven didn't seem to notice. "I'm sure that if something happens, you can ask the hokage."

Naruto nodded slowly. "You're right."

Sasuke leaned onto the doorframe once more, watching as Naruto pulled out his pack and began to put everything in their proper pockets. His eyes again scanned the room carefully, and he spotted the old book's spine sticking out of the short cabinet just to the right of him. It was wedged between the side panel and the sliding door.

He smirked for a moment, then schooled his features to those of disdain. "Naruto, treat your property with more respect." he scolded lightly, making towards the cabinet as Naruto gave him a sideways glance.

"I wouldn't doubt if it was because you raided through my apartment yesterday." he grumbled, turning back to his bag.

Sasuke rolled his eyes as his back was facing the blond. "I didn't raid through anything. I was waiting for you to get home, and they were just laying there out in the open. I'd never stick my neck in your belongings." Naruto snorted behind him. He carefully slid the door aside and lifted the book from the dust. "When was the last time you cleaned this place anyways?"

"What's it to you? You don't live here."

Sasuke hummed lightly in response, flipping the book over in his hands. An elegant bird graced the cover. _Bird summons? _Sasuke opened the book to a marked page. …_to acquaint the user with the knowledge he sent them to attain... Why would he want messenger birds? _

"Never, huh?"

Sasuke stiffened, and he slowly looked up. Naruto's shadowed, questioning face loomed upside down from his own. The strikingly blueeyes narrowed. Sasuke didn't know what else to say but, "Almost never.."

* * *

A/N

Sasuke's being nosy! what does little naru want with birdies?

Review to Continue! _Review!_

-MM(:


	8. Emotions Clash

**Chapter 7**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

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Naruto snatched the book from Sasuke's hands, jutting his lower lip out in a mild pout at the raven's pressing eyes. "I wanted to keep an eye on the _sight, _okay?"

Sasuke stood, assessing the blond. _He's still worried? _Sasuke crossed his arms. "So that black bird was yours?"

Naruto's eyes shifted uncomfortably, and he took a step back from Sasuke. "…yeah."

_That bird followed me. _Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I'm assuming the _sight _wasn't the only thing you wanted to keep tabs on."

Naruto adverted his eyes. "…I'm just-" Naruto sighed. His pleading blue eyes landed on Sasuke. "…don't think I'm a stalker or anything okay??" he ended in a frustrated huff.

Sasuke shook his head lightly, and nodded towards the book. "What else did you find in that library?" he asked sternly. Naruto's eyes widened. _Well, I might as well just get to the point before he worms his way out of it…_

Naruto lowered his chin, and turned his head slightly, looking at Sasuke from the corner of his eyes in a suspicious manner. "…maybe I'm not the one to be cautious of."

Sasuke frowned, baffled. _What is he indicating? Me? _"What are you going on about now, idiot?"

Naruto seemed to take offence to that, flinching. "I'm only looking out for my team! What would it matter if I found 'something'-" he made drastic air quotes, "when I'm the one looking out for everyone's best interest??" He stamped his foot, and turned from away Sasuke, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

Sasuke followed him to the door, and grabbed his bag, causing the blond to stumble back. "If you don't want people suspicious of you, then maybe you shouldn't hide things from them!" he retorted.

Naruto was silent, his shoulders stiff. "…I want to do this on my own. It's my responsibility."

Sasuke grinded his teeth, and roughly pulled back on the bag, sending Naruto crashing into the wall. He looked up at the raven with anger and confusion just as Sasuke's fist came flying into his cheek. Naruto grunted in pain, and wiped the blood from his lip with the knuckles of his own loose fist.

"You're a hypocrite." Sasuke growled. Naruto paused.

"_Konoha…" A warm breeze pushed into a stuffy hospital room, ruffling the curtains and settling into the tense atmosphere. Sasuke sighed, and turned away from the birds outside his window. "…is a joke."_

_Sasuke looked up, hearing his door slide open. His sore eyes settled on Naruto, wrapped up from the shoulders to the tips of his fingers in bandages. He scoffed and looked down at the white covers._

_Naruto's voice was rough. "I think it deserves a little more, Sasuke. I mean, it did let you back in after-"_

"_I don't _want_ to be here!" Sasuke bellowed, setting his enraged eyes on the schooled expression of his reacquainted teammate. "What part of that do you not understand?!" Sasuke breathed heavily, the whites of his teeth flashing. _

_Naruto looked away, his cheeks heated as he restrained his disappointment. "How are you feeling?" he asked in a strained voice._

_Sasuke's fist clenched the fabric of his blankets, his eyes raining fury over the village he turned them to. "I'll never accomplish _anything_ here. How do you think I feel?" he hissed._

_Naruto marched toward the bed, and grabbed Sasuke by his hospital garb, staring directly into his eyes. "What is so wrong with your friends helping you defeat Itachi?!"_

_Sasuke in turn grabbed Naruto's garb, jumping to his feet. "Itachi is _my_ brother! He's _my_ responsibility! I have to it on my own!"_

_Naruto bared his teeth in frustration, and cocked his fist back before Sasuke could even blink. Fire exploded in Sasuke's cheek, his eyes wide when his garb was jerked, forcing his eyes back into Naruto's heated gaze. "You're an idiot!" Naruto screamed into Sasuke's face, throwing his bandaged arm back in emphasis. "The way you were going about it, you weren't doing it on your own!" Naruto threw Sasuke down onto his bed, and the raven in turn was shocked to feel overpowered as the blond towered over him, his blue eyes sharp and intimidating for the first time. "That bastard Orochimaru was going to steal your body- and you didn't even care!" Naruto's voice was on the rim of desperation, his eyes shining. "You say you went to get stronger; that it was the only way! Will you open your god damn eyes! When you went to him- it wasn't _your _power! It was his! You weren't doing it on your own at all!" Tears were streaming down his cheeks by then, his chest heaving. He swayed on the spot, but it seemed only Sasuke noticed. "We're here for you! And- and you just throw us to the side like garbage!" He cried, stumbling backwards._

_Sasuke stood to his feet cautiously, raising his hands to try and calm the other down. "Naruto-"_

"_You're… you're such a bastard…" Naruto rasped, stumbling forward into Sasuke._

_Sasuke froze, Naruto's heated forehead pressing into his shoulder. "…why… why doesn't my voice ever reach you…?" Sasuke's breath hitched._

"_What's going on in here?!" _

_Sasuke looked up, nurses rushing in to break them up. One grabbed Naruto by the shoulders when another came up behind Sasuke to restrain him. Sasuke reached out when they moved Naruto away, but he stopped himself when he caught Naruto's dazed eyes. _

"_He's on the verge of hyperventilating- we need to get him to the respirator!" _

_A chorus of agreement ran low through the room, and the nurses left Sasuke alone with his dark thoughts._

Sasuke shook his head furiously, recognizing the irritation in his chest rising. "You tell me not to go and do dangerous things on my own- yet _you_ can do it?!"

Naruto lowered his eyes guiltily, nursing his now bruising cheek.

"Don't even begin to pity yourself- you go on and continue being this superhuman you burden yourself to be."

Sasuke locked his jaw, willing away the urge to console his friend. _He needed to hear that. _Sasuke swallowed, and stiffly left the apartment, not looking back. As he was halfway down the road, he leapt to the rooftops and began his tread to his own abode. _I will find them. _He ordered himself, pausing in his home's doorway. _I will find whatever he's hiding._

* * *

Sakura stared down into the running water, lightly tapping her foot against the railing pole in her irritated mood. _What's taking them so long?! Even Kakashi's here! _

"Kakashi."

Sakura perked up, hearing her hokage's calling voice on the warm breeze. She stood straight, and turned towards the hasty Tsunade.

"Kakashi," she repeated, "Naruto is not here?"

Sakura turned to her sensei who was looking from above the orange cover of his perverted book. Sakura's deadpanned expression was caught in her sensei's peripheral vision. _Even in the presence of the hokage, his nose is in that book. _

"We're still waiting for the quarrelers to join us." Kakashi informed, his mask creasing into a small, amused smile. "What is it you need, Hokage-sama? I could surely deal a round of punishment." Kakashi's eye gained a gleam of mischief. Sakura shivered.

Tsunade shook her head briefly. "There's no need. Shikamaru and I were just going to question him before he left."

Sakura blinked confusedly, leaning to the right to see around her hokage. "Uh… where is Shikamaru?"

Tsunade looked down at her to-be apprentice. "He was called home. Something about his duty to feed the deer."

Sakura was only further confused. She shook her head, and turned back to the railing.

"Oh, look, here comes one of them." Kakashi chirped, pointing his nose back down into his book.

Naruto was walking towards them slowly, his eyes trained on the ground in front of his feet. He looked deep in thought, unnoticing of the guest on the bridge.

"Naruto."

He jumped profusely, and snapped to attention. His wide eyes landed on Tsunade's stern face. _Shit, Sasuke must have told her!_ Naruto glared at the air in front of him as he continued toward the bridge. _Traitor. _

"Naruto, what happened to your face?" Tsunade asked, a small trace of concern in her tone.

Surprise washed over his glare as he again paused, slapping a hand over the bruise. He cried out at his own folly. Naruto glared at his hand, seemingly scolding it before looking up to his hokage. "Sasuke hit me." he growled, pointing at his face with his traitorous hand.

Tsunade nodded. "Ah." _So the Uchiha got to him first, huh? _

"_I need to see Naruto."_

Tsunade smiled softly to herself. _It seems we have a double sided 'play guardian' going on here. Sasuke probably took it upon himself to find whatever Naruto had. The brat seems angry, so that only adds to the conclusion that Sasuke succeeded. _"Well, I just wanted to see how you were feeling."

Sakura looked over he shoulder with a mild case of curiosity.

Naruto came to a stop at the bridge's first board. His eyes were showing he was apprehensive. "I feel fine- maybe a little sore." he added, his glare pointedly blaming Sasuke.

"Huh. So no burning? Nothing's opened up?"

Naruto's glare withered, and he looked down at his arms as he raised them. "No, I'd treated them everyday like you told me. They've healed fully."

Tsunade gave a final nod, "Good." _Well, if Sasuke wants to play Protection, I'll give him a little side mission. _"Right then, be wise Naruto." she concluded, walking off in a peculair direction.

Three pairs of curious eyes followed her, each with their own respective reasons.

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A/N

Phew, chapter seven. Please review! It actually gives me motivation to write!

REVIEW if you want it to continue! Chapter Seven!

-MM


	9. Head Into the Sight

**Chapter 8**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!**

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Naruto watched warily as Tsunade headed down the path Sasuke would soon appear from. _So I was right. Sasuke and Tsunade talked. _He dropped his bag to the ground, and sat cross-legged beside it, leaning back against the railing. _I wonder if Tsunade told him what happened to me… _Naruto looked once more at his arms, remembering how they were once covered in angry red scabs and dirty yellow bruises. He lowered his eyes. _Am I doing the right thing? _

_Naruto's house was eerily quiet as he entered. "I'm home," he murmured to no one unparticular. He winced with every step, his prescription tube of ointment slippery in his heated and sweating hand. Naruto made his way to the mirror, and stood on wobbling knees. His murky and sore blue eyes ran over the stranger in the glass. Dark bags hung under his eyes, and his skin glistened a deathly white against the black undershirt. _

_He sighed a phlegm caught grunt, and pulled the shirt off over his head. His mood sullen, he stared at the bolded scar on his chest. It was a point just at the bottom of his sternum, and it lashed out in every direction, reminding him of a twinkling star. This didn't bring him any humor. Naruto turned around carefully as to not trip on his own two feet, and looked over his shoulder. An ugly clouded black and purple bruise covered his upper back. "How beautiful.." he grumbled, dropping himself down on the bed. _

Naruto dropped his arms, the wood lightly scraping against his knuckles. _I beat myself up pretty badly… shit, I almost died. _Naruto sighed distressfully and pushed the heels of his palms into his eyes roughly.

"_Don't even begin to pity yourself- you go on and continue being this superhuman you burden yourself to be."_

"Naruto, what was Tsunade referring to?"

Naruto pulled his hands away, looking up at Sakura who stood in the middle of dancing black stars. He blinked a few times to rid himself of them, and brought his knees up to rest his elbows on. "…I beat myself up again, that's all." Sakura knelt to the ground, trying to sit in a comfortable position among the hard boards. She stared at Naruto expectantly. Naruto lowered his eyes. "It was when I got Sasuke away from the fumes… he was on the verge of suffocating, his air passage was clogged… I was scared. I didn't know what to do."

Sakura dropped her chin, gazing at Naruto through her eyelashes. His eyes were so far away, like the time Sasuke had been looking after Naruto's retreating back at the Ramen shop. They looked so much older than thirteen year olds. Their eyes hard, and almost all seeing. _I feel so small when they look at me._

"I was stupid, and reckless." he conceded, raising his eyes to Sakura's. Sakura caught her breath, feeling a familiar weight in her stomach. "I was thinking to myself, 'don't let him die, don't let him die,' and then I remembered this- scroll I found a while back at the library. It was an ancient medical jutsu, and I had glanced through it. It caught my attention, so I had… borrowed it under granny Tsunade's name." Naruto's eyes dropped for a moment, but he willed them up again. Sakura was leaning forward, her suspense on Naruto's admittance. "I studied it, despite the label warning that said it was only for practiced medical shinobi. It was hard, of course, and it aggravated me, so I had put it aside temporarily. When I recalled it, the thought that a mistake could be fatal to the user didn't cross my mind… I _had_ to save him." he then turned away, shameful.

Sakura put her hands to her mouth, her wide eyes glistening. It felt like her chest was being squeezed. She hadn't expected this. "…can I… see it?"

Naruto's gaze was askance, and pressed his lips together briefly. "…yeah."

Slowly, he unzipped his jacket, and lifted his black shirt to his chin. Sakura gasped frightfully, her hands pressing more closely to her lips. Her eyes roamed over the deep, star like scar grazing Naruto's otherwise flawless tan skin. Naruto's eyes followed her hands as they skittishly descended onto his scar. Sakura jumped when Naruto's muscle leapt under her fingers.

Her shining eyes snapped to Naruto's fretfully, "Does it still hurt?"

Amusement danced in the blue irises, Naruto's smile rising the creases under his eyes. "No. Your hands are just cold."

Sakura timidly smiled back, and she dropped her eyes over his exposed skin, not able to look him in the eye. _He didn't have control over the chakra, and it had to escape somehow. _She pictured the scenario in her mind, and flinch lightly. "…It hurt, didn't it?" she whispered, laying her palm over the scar as if to make it disappear.

Naruto closed his eyes, and nodded slightly. "…Yeah."

"So this was the outcome."

Naruto and Sakura jumped, their heads swiveling to their teammate who knelt beside them. Sasuke stared blankly as Naruto shoved his shirt down just as Sakura dropped her hands. He frowned, and pulled Naruto's shirt back up.

"Hey! Back up!"

Sasuke ignored Naruto's indignant squawks of fury. "Quit being stupid, I can see to." Sasuke narrowed his eyes. _This… was for me?_

_Locking the door behind himself, Sasuke looked toward Naruto's home as his thoughts circled around his suspicions. "I could just break in again…tch." Sasuke shook his head, and moved onto the street. _

"_It had to be some sort of emergency jutsu, or else it wouldn't be so fatal."_

"_Precisely."_

_Sasuke tripped up, but caught himself just in time to not fall into Tsunade. Sasuke flinched away from his embarrassing position. "…I must be hanging around Naruto too much…" _

_Tsunade smirked, crossing her arms in a leisurely manner. "Ah, but of course to keep him under your nose you'd have to."_

_Sasuke tensed, frowning. "How did you-"_

_Tsunade grinned. "Oh, now I do!" she chirped._

_Sasuke swore under his breath, looking away. "Tch. What do you want?"_

_Tsunade looked thoughtful, and dropped her arms. "I'd just like to know what you've discovered."_

"_He's using messenger birds to keep an eye on the sight." Sasuke smirked. "…You make it sound like I'm undercover." _

_Tsunade blinked owlishly. "But aren't you?"_

_Sasuke pocketed his hands, his relaxed posture putting Tsunade on edge. "I have every intention in letting Naruto know that I know." _

_Tsunade rested her hand on her hip. "But wouldn't that make it harder to find out what he's planning?"_

_Sasuke again smirked. "If he knows I know, it will make him wonder exactly all that I know. Then, he'll be pressured into telling me everything." _

_Tsunade looked ill amused. "You haven't found everything yet, but it looks as if you've thought this through. Well, tell me when your plan follows through then."_

"_It will." _

_Tsunade and Sasuke quieted, their determined eyes in a sort of clash. Tsunade finally looked away, sighing. "I guess it's not any of my business if you want to play guardian," __Sasuke blanched, "but I know you want to know this." Tsunade tilted her head in an all knowing fashion. Sasuke focused. "The jutsu he used put an enormous strain on his body. It uses pure chakra alone to remove substances and objects from the body. In order to be maintained, the user needs precise control of their chakra in order to push out the right amount, push it into the body, mold it, and be able to pull it back in when the job is finished. Naruto didn't have that potential, and so it caused him constant pain. Once he was sure you were okay, he must have just cut off the supply. The surplus of chakra in his chest and arms had to escape somehow, so it exploded."_

_Sasuke's eyes widened. "It… exploded?"_

_Tsunade dropped her eyes. "Yes. I'll leave him to you, since you seem so determined to protect him." Sasuke felt his cheeks flush. "I knew since, well, roughly around when you returned, so don't act surprised. He feels the same for you, Sasuke. Only, he's felt this way for a long time I suppose. And I believe, that his plan has something to do with you." _

_Tsunade then departed quietly, her words imprinting on Sasuke's mind._

Sakura looked nervously between her silent teammates. It was like a sudden depression hung around them. Their eyes were far away, looking away from the other, almost as if they were thinking the same thing. Sasuke finally moved, his eyes painting a regretful expression, surprising Sakura out of her wits. He gritted his teeth, and pushed Naruto away. Naruto's eyes widened as he collapsed haphazardly onto his arm.

"Your impossible." Sasuke murmured.

Naruto stood up immediately, and kicked Sasuke in shoulder lightly, though it was enough to shove the other into the ground. "Eh?? What's this all of a sudden, bastard?!" Sakura gasped lightly in alarm, and stood to move out of the way.

Sasuke growled and also jumped to his feet, disregarding his stinging cheek. He stood a challenging distance from Naruto, which to the quarrelers, was face to face. "I'm saying you're a hassle, idiot!"

Naruto swung his fist around, outraged. "And this is the kind of thanks I get!"

Sasuke frowned deeply, his fists just hovering from Naruto's stomach. "For what?! All you did was blow holes in yourself!"

Naruto grew red in the face. "If I don't remember correctly, you did too!"

The two then started a stare off, their glares never wavering. Sakura was clueless as to what she should do. _Oh but if looks could spark a fire… _Sakura gave thought to their predicament, and she dropped her shoulders, feeling like a dimwit. _Wait, I shouldn't do anything right? They're finally acting normal for once…_

Kakashi snapped his book closed, his gleeful smile just short of grinning. "Well, it seems my worry has been put at ease." he said to himself. "Hey, lets get a move on." he called cheerily to his students.

Naruto and Sasuke settled to grumbling to themselves, and wandered to their sensei. Sakura smiled delightedly, watching the boys keep their distance from one another. Kakashi ruffled Naruto's hair.

"Well, before we set off, I believe it would be wise to go over a strategy. Naruto, what have you experienced?"

Naruto folded his arms. "Well, there really is no explanation as to why the trees are falling, but me and Sasuke suspect it might be some sort of earth technique. If you feel a trembling in the trees or ground, get out of the area as best as you can." Naruto shrugged. "But, I still plan on sending a clone with everyone anyways."

Kakashi nodded. "Ah. Well, in my report, it says that we're looking for a suspicious character. He was found lurking around without a hitiate, yet he has the skill of a shinobi. His intentions are unknown, but he has attacked a leaf shinobi."

Naruto looked up at his sensei. "Was it a jounin kunoichi?"

Kakashi blinked. "Actually, yes. Why are you asking?"

Sasuke watched intently as Naruto fidgeted. "Um, is she okay? 'Cause I was the one who found her… and she seemed kind of…"

Kakashi smiled softly. "Yeah, she's fine." Naruto settled with a small smile. "Anyways, it seems that she was caught in a genjutsu, a very mild one that put her in a disoriented state. Also, it seems he uses poisons in his attacks."

"Sensei, is he an earth user?"

Kakashi again looked down at his blond pupil. "Hmm, not that we know of. He could be. With that said-"

"I'll lead!" Naruto exclaimed, his hand shooting into the air. "Please!"

Kakashi blinked. "That's fine since I was going to have a clone come with me so that I can stay informed. You three were going to stay together, seeing as Naruto wouldn't be able to concentrate if he didn't know where you to were." He finished with a grin.

Naruto's face enflamed, "Kakashi-sensei! So not cool!"

Sasuke smiled softly, chuckling lightly under his breath as Naruto proclaimed his embarrassment. Sakura's ears perked, and turned to Sasuke as his smile cracked into a grin, and he was forced to hide it behind his hand. Her chest fluttered, and Sakura looked between her boys. _Whatever it was that happened between them… _Sakura smiled. _I'm glad it did._

_

* * *

_

_A/N_

Awwwwwww! Finally some fluff. If Sasuke seemed not like Sasuke, well, the way things progressed, I believe that's what would have happened. Why does no one remember the parts where Sasuke really did smile and laugh? ...Though there wasn't many, but it was always because of Naruto. I miss their relationship...

Has anyone seen the new Naruto Manga chapter? Like the _new_ one, not shounin jump. If not then don't read the this.

[SPOILER]

Sasuke was so bogus! Stupid Sasuke! I mean, he's blinded by depression and rage, but STILL! He's so stupid. I want to punch him. Karin was annoying, but she didn't deserve to be stabbed! And Sasuke, for your information, you're like a hostage when you're being _used!_ Idiot. What kind of face was that anyway? He won't smile but he'll make a _gahhhh.. I'm so scary.... _kind of face?! What the hell? _sigh..._

I also want to know what Naruto thinks of Sasuke now that he's had his break through and dramatic hyperventilating!! Kishi is so mean, leaving it like that! Hmph.

Danzo was a depressed and whiny _good guy?!_ Well that sucks slushies... even though he went about Hokage in a gross and wierd way... his arm creeped me out...

[SPOILER OVER]

Chapter 8!! Review!!

-MM :D


	10. Fatal Decisions

**Chapter 9 **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**A/N : Ohh, i liked writing this one. :)**

* * *

Team seven surveyed the entrance cautiously. Naruto breathed deeply, calming himself. "Shadow Clone jutsu!"

Millions of clones surrounded them, and Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "I think you're exaggerating this, Naruto. It can't be this bad."

Naruto frowned, though it was more like a pout. "I'm just being careful, Sasuke."

Sasuke gave him an uncaring look, and Naruto grumbled something akin to '_aloof bastards'_.

Kakashi turned his serious mode on. "Don't get him riled up, Sasuke. Naruto's the most important key in this mission. We need him to focus."

Naruto turned away, his eyes hard and determined. "You heard him!" he called out. "We all need to be on our toes!" A chorus of agreement followed Naruto's speech.

In sequence, all but one darted away, out of sight. That one clone grinned and waved at Kakashi. Their sensei nodded, and the two leapt from the other three's sight. Immediately, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura adjusted their radios on their neck.

After fiddling around with the strap, Naruto zipped his collar up. "I had eight clones surround us to give us a heads up if we need to hide. The rest are out farther, searching for the intruder. Their all disguised as birds. If they do find the intruder I'll know the location. They'll also protect us if a surprise attack comes up."

Sasuke nodded. "You've given this some thought."

Naruto smiled. "I had to."

"Right. You watch for the intruder and I'll watch for any suspicious movements with my sharingan. Like genjutsus for example."

The boys turned to Sakura. "You'll stay above in the trees, Sakura-chan."

""We'll need you to watch the sky and canopies." Sasuke finished as if he had the same idea.

Once that was settled, Sakura nodded, and moved up into the tree. Sasuke focused his sharingan, inspecting the surrounding foliage. Naruto sighed, trying to keep his calm. He moved to the nearest tree and lay his hand upon it, feeling for vibrations. They soon moved farther into the wood, repeating the motions.

This continued for, what felt like to Naruto, an hour or so. He was getting bored. His eyes wandered as he absently picked at the bark on the tree. "Neh, Sasuke."

Sasuke didn't care to look, he grunted in response.

"How much do you know?"

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk. _Jack pot. _"I just want to know what you're planning to do with all of _that._" he emphasized, sneaking a glance at Naruto. Sasuke felt victorious that Naruto's face had reddened.

"Huh? You know everything?!" he blurted almost nervously.

Sasuke didn't answer, pretending to be interested in something he might have found.

"…Sasuke,"

Naruto's serious voice made Sasuke pause. _Did he do something bad? Or worse than before? _His anxiousness rose, though he willed himself not to look at the blond and give himself away.

"I did it because… I was scared for you."

Sasuke bit into his lip. _What did he do? He's pleading with me to understand, I know that. But what does he want me to understand? _"…scared for me?"

"…Yeah."

Sasuke searched through his thoughts. _So it does have something to do with me. _"To make you do _that… _what was there to be scared of?" Sasuke pursed his lips, waiting for Naruto's response.

"…Isn't it kind of obvious?"

_Shit! _Sasuke's eyes searched the ground frantically. "I just wanted to know- in your words, why you did it." Sasuke spit the words out before they escaped his mind. _Phew… a loop hole._

Naruto's eyes searched Sasuke's back, trying to figure out how the raven felt about what he did. _Is he mad at me? His voice is strained and he won't look at me… _"I wanted to-"

Naruto gasped as suddenly, information infiltrated his mind and a small pop off in the distance alerted him. "Sasuke!"

Sasuke straightened from his crouch, Naruto's alarmed voice setting him on edge. He hurriedly turned around. "What happened?"

Naruto's eyes were wide with uneasiness. "The intruder is attacking Kakashi-sensei at the river!"

Without further explanation, Naruto dashed into the wood. Sasuke's eyes widened, and his sharingan faded. "Sakura!" he called up into the trees, "We've found the intruder! Come on!"

Once Sakura touched the ground, Sasuke took off into Naruto's direction, his mind reeling.

* * *

Kakashi watched the intruder steadily, planning to evade any move he may make. He had been caught off guard, but luckily the clone had thrown himself in the way of the rock projectile while casting out exploding tags. The intruder was clothed in all black, giving him the advantage of the shadows, but he still suffered mild burns on his arms, chest, and neck, providing the intuitive that he had shielded his face. Three kunai stuck out of the underside of his thigh, sprayed with red liquid.

The intruder growled, stumbling on his now lame leg. "You- little brat!" he garbled over his shoulder at his hidden enemy. "A measly clone won't stop me!"

With quick and lightning precision, the man pulled a kunai from his leg and threw it over his head. An orange clad clone jumped from the bush, avoiding the kunai as he threw another one. The man clumsily leaned to the left, narrowly avoiding the kunai, and as he did, Kakashi sprung with his own. He landed neatly behind the man, and pressed it hostilely to the man's neck.

"Now. What are your intentions? Why are you here?"

The man laughed jeeringly. "You think you can threaten me?"

Kakashi's eyes widened as sharp rock projectiles, the size of his fist, suddenly flew from the shadows of the trees. Kakashi moved his kunai from the man's neck to guard himself from the rock, and just as he did, the intruder's hands flew through a series of signs.

"Earth Style: Rising Spears jutsu!"

Kakashi's eyes widened as the ground shook beneath him. He jumped into the air just as hulky, rock spears struck from the ground. His heart began to pound as his jump was not high enough, and the spears continued to ascend, about to pierce through him. A weight abruptly flew into his back, and Kakashi was shoved out the way as the clone took the blow, exploding into a cloud of smoke.

Kakashi grabbed onto the nearest branch on the opposite side of the river, regaining his balance. _I owe him. Twice. _

The intruder's eyes abscessed him thoroughly. Kakashi stared back. _Why is he giving me his full attention? He should be on guard for the suspicion of more clones. Unless, he knows there are none anywhere near him. _Kakashi narrowed his eyes. _I can't rush in or I'll be skewered. What do I do?_

* * *

Naruto slowed to stop, knowing full well he had made time. Another clone had protected Kakashi, pushing him out of the way in time. Naruto ducked down, his eyes automatically assessing the positions in battle. Kakashi had to use a jutsu that could give him distance or he'll be pierced through and through. The intruder has been rendered immobile, but he can protect himself easily with molded earth projectiles. He doesn't seem too concerned about where I am.

Just as Kakashi's hands flew through a serious of hand signs, the intruder's did also.

"Water Style: Giant Vortex jutsu!"

"Earth Style: Stone Wall jutsu!"

Kakashi's vortex of water crashed onto the land, just as a slab of earth rose out of the ground. The water slammed into the rock, and the intruder began a new series of seals, having the coverage of the water. Naruto's mind spun and under the roar of the clashing elements he summoned a clone. _Kakashi-sensei! _

"Earth Style: Rising Spears jutsu!"

"Rasengan!"

Kakashi's eyes widened as the slab shattered ragingly, the intruder spiraling through and into the river. A spray of water flew at him, and Kakashi shielded his eyes.

* * *

Sasuke and Sakura flew into the clearing just as Naruto leapt from the ground.

"Rasengan!"

Sasuke's eyes channeled onto Naruto's outstretched arm as the Rasengan hit its target. The intruder cried out as he was sent flying through a wall of rock. As Naruto's feet touched the ground, enormous speared pillars erupted from the ground. Sasuke grabbed Sakura by the arm, and jumped away from a striking spear that was just below them. As they flew through the air, a violent cackling of ripping wood assaulted their ears. Sasuke and Sakura looked up into the sky in horror as mangled trees tore through the surrounding branches, falling straight for them.

Sasuke's heart rammed into his ribcage, and Sakura shrieked beside him.

"Sasuke! Sakura!"

Sasuke was stunned as his arm was suddenly jerked, and whipped around. Naruto's determined eyes smiled at him as he released Sasuke arm, sending him cascading through an opening in the trees. The blond disappeared among the destruction, and Sasuke's chest plunged into what seemed like icy waters.

Sasuke crashed into the ground, the breath slammed out of his lungs. Sakura crumpled beside him, gasping for air just as he was. Before they could raise their eyes, the onslaught of jagged wood and tree collided with the ground in front of their feet with a deafening boom. A single, shining metal plate came whizzing through the air, skidding through the tousled dirt to settle at Sasuke's side. His eyes widened and he skittered away from the bloodied hitiate.

A resounding echo of falling trees called Sasuke's terror stricken eyes towards the destruction. His heart rampaged in his tightly coiled chest, and his body felt frozen down to his very finger tips.

"No… No! Naruto!" Sasuke bellowed, scrambling to his feet in a mad run towards the field of contorted wood. His body felt constricted and slow, fueling his dread. Sasuke's frenetic hands ripped through the debris, turning over stray branches and logs, his sharingan ablaze and spinning wildly. "Naruto! Where are you?!" he cried desperately. "Naruto!"

Sakura sat petrified, her unbelieving eyes set on the point Naruto had disappeared into. Sasuke's frantic and distraught calls resonated in her ears.

"Damn it! Where are you?! Say something!"

His hands were striped red, but he wouldn't stop. He pulled apart tangled wood and threw it aside. "Naruto!"

A hand weighed down on Sasuke's shoulder. "Sasuke, stop."

Sasuke shoved Kakashi's hand off of his shoulder, and he tried to dive back into the devastation when Kakashi wrapped his hand around Sasuke's arm. Sasuke thrashed, red in the face, his cheeks soaked with tears.

"No! You bastard! Let me go! Damn you!"

Sasuke continued to pull on his arm and lash out at his capturer, smearing blood all over Kakashi's arms. He continued to curse and scream until his throat was thoroughly stripped. Sasuke let out a final, heart piercing cry of despair before he fell to his knees. Kakashi released his arm, but it only fell limply to Sasuke's side. Kakashi clenched his jaw tight, nausea swimming through his stomach. He glanced back at Sakura who wouldn't even blink. She slumped forward, a hand to her mouth. He looked away, knowing that if he watched, he would surely wretch too.

* * *

**A/N**

Okay, i couldn't let myself be all dark and emo all day because of this, so i wrote some fluff afterwards for valentines day! Check out my one-shot, _Stupid Excuses _that i just posted. It's very mild SasuNaru(when they're little kiddies in the academy) so if you don't like that, don't read it! Duh. I hate it when flamers read something they know already they wont like and just go and say ridiculious things about it.

Flamers go away! Don't rain on my Valentines Day!

**Happy Valentine's Day Guys!!!**

Review to Continue! **REVIEW!**

-MM :3 _sweet sweet valentines day..._


	11. So Obviously True

**Chapter 10**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! **

**Quick A/N: hey! so so so sorry guys for the super long wait! lots of things just came popping up into existance into my already tedious life- so let's just read what I tacked up here for you, 'kay? I'm going to update _Stupid Excuses _later._ ( Just a note for those of you who didn't know ^^ I'm writing a second chapter ) _**

* * *

As the dark seeped across the sky, stars began to light. One after another they winked down at the hell stricken land where a short yet antagonizing battle had tore the earth open. A sullen face gazed across the ripped fields, a deep discontentment playing in the depth of his heart. A small dog trotted to his side, and a pair of anxious and coal colored eyes rose from the far side of the tree littered field to regard them.

Kakashi turned from the scrutiny, his shadowed eye landing upon Pakkun with feigned placidness. However, the small dog was just as faint-hearted. Pakkun shook his head, turning his nose to the earth. Kakashi's last, fragile thread of hope squeezed his heart. Pain reverberated through his being. His squinted eyes lifted from his summon, and he rubbed his face tiredly.

"_Go back to the village… both of you. Now."_

"_Yes, sensei."_

"…_I'm staying. I can't sit and wait- I'll help find him. I can't leave him here, alone."_

Kakashi dropped his hand, surrendering to the aching and his throttling heart. He turned his eye over his shoulder, Sasuke's braced demeanor burying the wound deeper. Kakashi slowly made his way towards his student, Sasuke's now hardened eyes seeking his face for the answer he desired to hear. His sensei only pushed his hand into the pocket of his pant leg, and pulled a shiny metal from the fabric's confines. Sasuke's stony eyes hazed, and he numbly took the bloodied hitiate from Kakashi's stiff hand.

Sasuke dropped his chin to his chest as he showered the thin metal with his sorrow. The blood began to puddle in the carving of the leaf as salty tears mingled within it. Sasuke's reflection smeared along the mixture, his dark eyes boring back at him.

"_Sasuke, I did it because… I was scared for you."_

Naruto's apologetic smile echoed to the forefront of his mind. Sasuke grasped the metal in a desperate grip, pain danced in his eyes.

Kakashi placed a rigid hand on Sasuke's shoulder, trying to offer some sort of comfort. "…Sasuke he's-"

"No." Sasuke shrugged off his sensei's hand and swallowed thickly, taking a breath. "…don't say it."

Kakashi's downcast eyes searched Sasuke's face, trying to find the right words to say. Something that would keep Sasuke rooted to the ground; something that would keep him sane. "Sasuke, not one day did he look down on you." Sasuke remained silent. "He always kept you on high regards- respected you; his thoughts revolved around you. …And I know that to this day, you are his precious person." Sasuke's dull eyes shone with loss, and Kakashi paused with familiarity.

"Sasuke, he wanted to save you."

Sasuke's face tightened with grief and frustration, and he shook his head fiercely. "He's been shoving that nonsense in my face since I first left Konoha! I don't need saving. The last time I checked, I'm the stronger one." he grumbled heatedly.

Kakashi shook his head. "You've never really understood a word he's ever said." Kakashi lifted his pointer finger as if for scolding, but instead, he planted his finger just over Sasuke's heart. "He tried to save this."

Sasuke stiffened, his mind reeling as he pinned his sensei with an intense gaze. "…my heart? What does that mean?"

Kakashi sighed solemnly. "He told me once… that he was scared. He was scared you were drowning in your dark thoughts. He wanted so desperately to bring you back because he knew that if you strayed too far within those dark emotions and ambitions, that you would surely lose the sight of your sanity, and be blind to everything positive in your life. He wanted to save you from turning into something he knows you're not. Something that would haunt you all your life."

Sasuke's eyes widened. His heart thumping heatedly.

_"Is that wishful thinking, teme? Because as long as I see that boundless determination, assertive endurance, that damned snappy attitude, and familiar actuality," his eyes narrowed, a sort of comprehension shining through as his hands tightened painfully around the material in his hands, "you'll always be _Sasuke_ to me." _

Sasuke ground his teeth together, pain coiling in his chest.

Kakashi lowered his eyes, distraught at the loss of his loud and noble student. He couldn't handle the loss of another so arduously fought for to bring back once before."…Now, Sasuke, let's just go home." he whispered, trying to quell his turmoil.

Sasuke took one more glance over the thoroughly searched grounds. As Kakashi wandered ahead of his student, Sasuke clenched the hitiate tightly in his fist. His eyes roamed over the horizon, a final, desperate glance for a sign. Anything. _He couldn't have just disappeared without a trace._

"Sasuke… are you coming?"

Sasuke closed his glimmering eyes, and bowed his head. _I'll be back. And I will find you. _

_

* * *

_

As they slowly made their way into the village, Sasuke's dark eyes caught a faint outline of pink along the gathered rookie nine. A numb sort of feeling raced through him as Sakura ran up to him, her face flushed with anxiousness. Her eyes set on him fixatedly. Sasuke looked past her for a moment, taking in the forlorn and presumptuous expressions of their classmates.

"Sasuke," his name was a plead in itself, bringing his eyes back to Sakura.

Sasuke found he couldn't break his eyes away from hers, knowing that if he did, that it would only mean Naruto was truly, definitely gone. Instead he willed his hard eyes to soften. "We haven't found him,"

Sakura held onto that small hope his answer held out in the open, her eyes beading with tears; her lower lip trembled. She threw her arms around his neck, and began to sob into his chest. Sasuke furrowed his brow, perplexed as a squirmy feeling wormed its way into his chest. "Ah, Sakura…"

_"I'd hoped that if anything had ever happened to this team… to me… that you'd be there to hold it together when I can't… though, I guess that's too much to ask for…"_

Sasuke pursed his lips, and slowly, cautiously, hugged her back. This only seemed to encourage Sakura as she sank into his embrace and balled. Sasuke lowered his eyes as that squirmy feeling faded into a sense of consoling he had only felt once before. More surely now, Sasuke tightened his hold. Almost like a line had been cast from her heart and had hooked into his, a flood of what he felt was barren emotion came forth. He could feel her grief and fear, and honestly, it didn't comfort him at all. If anything, it almost made him fall into his own doubts.

He raised his eyes to the silent onlookers, their expressions of surprise. His eyes darkened at the sight of them, and he wanted to wrench away from the weak emotions playing through him. However, something held him there, something took over him. Sasuke grasped Sakura's arms gently, and brought her away from his chest. Sakura's red and puffy eyes questioned him. Sasuke blinked slowly, finding words tumbling out of his mouth.

"Crying won't help." his gentle tone made him stiffen at his own words. Sakura's eyes widened and Sasuke hesitantly removed himself before he did something drastic. He then began to move quickly away, striding past the astonished aura draping over the onlookers.

Sasuke advanced onto his home with haste, and more or less slammed the door behind him. He leaned against it, and raised a hand to his chest. The cold feeling was absent, replaced by an airy sort of casualness as if what he had just done was natural to him. Sasuke drifted away from his door, confusion riddling his thoughts. Then, a sort of epiphany came to him.

_Naruto._

Sasuke did a one-eighty, and again slammed the door behind him. Sasuke raced to Naruto's apartment, taking to the rooftops to avoid unwanted encounters. He ascended onto the balcony in relatively quick time, and burst into the empty abode with renewed vigor.

Naruto's not so tidy room betrayed the motives of a rowdy teenager. Clothes lay strewn about, some older than others. An empty ramen cup lay at the foot of the mused bed. A few candy bars and sodas sat on the stand next to the alarm aside the photo of Team Seven. Sasuke lowered his chin, relaxing for the moment in the otherwise peaceful and laid-back atmosphere that was Naruto's home. Sasuke ambled towards the cabinet, kneeling in front of it and sliding it open with relative ease. The cabinet was empty- besides the dust of course. Sasuke's nose wrinkled in disdain, and he shut the door sharply. The cabinet groaned in response and shifted a cloud of dust into Sasuke's face.

Sasuke jumped to his feet, coughing and scrubbing the grit from his eyes with the backs of his fists. He backed up, trying to escape the cloud when the backs of his knees hit the bed. Sasuke's eyes flew open in alarm, and he threw out his arms, swinging them for some semblance of balance. The ceiling met his gaze as his shoulders hit the other side of the bed and he began to slide down. Sasuke grabbed hurriedly at the blankets, but they slid with him. Sasuke's head collided with the hardwood floor, and his body collapsed after him. He groaned after a few moments, and steadily lifted his head from the wood, rubbing it wearily.

"Hahahahahahahaha!"

Sasuke froze, his whole body going stiff. His wide eyes rose over the bed, and there, on the other side, stood Naruto- rasping with laughter. Sasuke dropped his hand limply as the blond doubled over, grasping his chest as if it might explode.

"Sa-sasuke! You just- pffffft! Ahahahaha!"

Embarrassment channeled a burst of red into Sasuke's face, his ears flushing to match. He scrambled to his feet, clutching his fists at his sides. "I-idiot!"

Naruto gasped for breath, "Ha..haha… that was the stupidest and clumsiest thing I've ever seen you do!" Naruto wiped the tears from his eyes. "Ah… hilarious…"

Sasuke gritted his teeth in annoyance, "At least I didn't fumble in the sight!" he retorted. Naruto stopped laughing.

Sasuke's competitiveness crashed hard when Naruto stood. His eyes were dull, face now expressionless. A chill ran through Sasuke's being, and he suddenly felt very hollow and alone.

Sasuke was about to take the insult back when a sharp clack against the window made his eyes snap to the glass pane. There sat the black bird, tapping insistently on the glass. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at it. He turned back to his friend, only to find the room empty. Sasuke's eyes widened, and he looked around him. The house was silent besides the bird's tapping.

"Naruto?" Sasuke called uncertainly.

Silence was his answer. Sasuke swiftly moved into the kitchen, his eyes darting around the make-shift dining room. His heart began to beat hastily, and he darted from the doorway to the bathroom, surging in. The sink dripped tediously in the small white basin. The bath room pane stood open, a slight sent of musk radiating from the shower.

Sasuke fell back against the doorframe, his befuddled mind racing to catch up to him. _Naruto… was there, wasn't he? _

The sharp crackling echoing through the house made Sasuke wander back to Naruto's bedroom. His eyes traced the floor, and what met him unsettled him. There, in the blanket of dust, was his struggled looking footprints back-stepping into the bed. The rest was untouched, smooth in its evenness, though, Sasuke couldn't care less how level the dust was. His heart panged, and Sasuke sighed heavily, running his hand through his hair.

_I was hallucinating. Great…_

Sasuke's shining eyes drifted to the window, the bird staring at him impatiently. He sauntered to the sill, and pulled it open in one swift pull. The bird flew in, and Sasuke took a step back out of its way, when his heel connected with something sharp. Sasuke inhaled through his teeth sharply, his hiss making the bird, alarmed, flap to the other side of the room for distance. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the comforter draping off the bed and onto the floor. Sasuke bent to pick up the blanket, planning to kill the thing that stabbed his heel. As he lifted the blanket up to the bed side, the corner of what looked like a brief case presented itself. Sasuke furrowed his brow and knelt to the bedside. Pulling out the black case, he hefted it up to the mattress with a grunt.

It rattled, and intriguing his curiosity, he opened it with a click of its clasp. The top fell back on the bed loftily, and Sasuke peered on the contents with interest. A scatter of papers lay atop what looked like books underneath. Photos wrapped in a rubber band lay bundled on the side. Sasuke attentively took them apart and shuffled through the photos. They were the same arrangement as before, yet they were different images.

One grabbed his attention. It was a photo of Naruto and Sasuke pumping fists; Naruto grinning like an idiot whilst Sasuke tried to look indifferent. Under the two of them, there was writing.

" _Sometimes, amidst all our constant fighting, I forget why we were fighting in the first place. Then I remember it's because of how important it is, and it makes me smile. "_

Sasuke lowered his eyes, and his thumb stroked the photo's side thoughtfully. He tucked the picture into his pocket, and twiddled the band over the rest of the photos. Setting them aside, he examined the papers. They were scribbles of theory and examples. Sasuke was a bit amazed of Naruto's complex thoughts and ideas.

_If he's _this_ smart, why does he act like such a dimwit? _

Sasuke skimmed over the papers for a time until Naruto's penmanship gave him a headache, and he set them aside. Two books and a scroll lay side by side at the bottom. On the far left, the bird summon's brilliant red and gold imprinted bird glinted familiarly in the light. The middle book was a dull, worn brown. It was beaten up around the edges of its thick spine. Sasuke frowned, wondering how _this_ book caught Naruto's eye. He lifted the heavy book from the case's confines and flipped the spine into his line of sight. In big golden lettering, it read: _Ancient Medical Techniques. _Sasuke's drew his mouth into a tight line of discomfort. He set it back not too gently into its place.

Lastly sat the scroll on the right, and Sasuke hesitated. What ever it was, he knew it was important, for he had no idea as to what it related to yet. Carefully, he lifted the scroll, turning the label into the light.

_The Methods of Interrogation…?_

Sasuke began to lift the seal, but he paused- apprehensive that he might find something he didn't want to find. Sasuke took a breath, and proceeded to tear away the seal.

What unraveled in his palms was something so convoluted, yet so obviously true.

* * *

**A/N **

Okay, for those of you who hated how i stopped so short after not updating for what can very possibly be labeled FOREVER- I'm so deeply, terribly sorry, but, I had to.

It's just my way of the author to write cliff hangers... please don't kill me ^^'

Forementioned above the story, _Stupid Excuses_ is being turned into a two chapter story, or three if I'm not satisfied with the ending. I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep it to two chapters though.

Oh and, HAPPY EASTER!! If you celebrate it that is. :) "May you gorge yourself with candy, for this my friend, is the only day you may eat candy for _breakfast_."

Chapter 10! Review to Continue! SERIOUSLY! I see those of you lurking... don't try to hide! lol

-MM :D


	12. Where the Home Lays

**Chapter 11**

**Disclaimer: i do not own Naruto**

**A/N: Hi hi! News on my stories (like if I'll be away or if I'm taking a break or something like that) will all be on my profile under the subsection _'(the date)News On The Stories'_! I posted a double whopper chapter for you all today! The cliffhangers have been noticed ^^' Enjoy!! **

* * *

Today was a day very rare in a place like Konoha. The normally blistering sun was just peeking through a barrier of gray clouds. Kids ran around without a care, chanting for the rain to fall. Their parents moved about the daily routine in a hurry as to avoid getting drenched. Tsunade, however, felt an air of anticipation surround her as she locked gazes with a boy she now knew on an almost personal level. She leaned forward onto her elbows, entwining her fingers on the cool touch of her desk. As relaxed as she may have seemed, inside she was anxious and even a little wary to say the least. Her company knew this as well.

Sasuke wasn't far behind her, though he knew what she did not. A darkness had mooned under his eyes, sleep still stirring in the dark color of his iris. He stepped forward quite sullenly, laying the books and the scroll onto her desk with such a deep frown marring his face. Tsunade merely glanced at them before pulling out a folding chair and setting it before him. Sasuke nodded his thanks and set it before dropping heavily into the seat.

He scooted forward onto the edge, setting his elbows on the cool surface of the desk before he ran both hands over his face and into his hair. They sat there like that for a moment, a conscious silence hanging over their heads.

Tsunade finally sighed, leaning over her folded hands. "I'd offer you a drink with this atmosphere but I'm afraid you're under age." she quietly mused, a small almost non-existent smile playing on her lips.

A soft breath of amusement left Sasuke before he could take it back. He dropped his hands limply, and tilted his head as he moved his eyes over the literal objects he so despised at the moment. "I found these in a case under Naruto's bed."

Tsunade nodded softly as Sasuke sat up in a more dignified manner though he showed no signs of following through with it. He, instead, stifled a yawn. Sasuke tapped the first book with the lights of his fingers. "This book is an instruction manual on how to summon birds. Naruto used it to call messenger birds for an extra eye on the sight and-"

Sasuke paused when Tsunade lightly jumped at the sound of flapping. Sasuke scowled softly when a black bird dove in soundly through the open window before perching on his shoulder. Tsunade eyed it thoughtfully. Sasuke sighed, leaning his cheek into his palm. "And apparently, me."

Tsunade smiled, amused. "Ah, that would make sense."

Sasuke lifted his arm to point to another book, pausing when the bird lifting its own wings to keep balance on the moving perch. "This book here is the medical book Naruto learned that technique from."

Tsunade's frown matched Sasuke's as she opened the book to scan effectually over the text. "So that scroll Naruto used on you…"

Sasuke nodded. "It was a copy he made of that one section from this book; the page is marked." Tsunade gripped the bundle of pages and pushed them aside to the marked page. "Your assumptions were right. He cut the chakra too soon, and it built up to the point where it needed to be released." Sasuke dropped his eyes for a moment, pushing away the memory. When he lifted them again, they lay carefully on the scroll. "That one is the most complicated."

Tsunade, in the change of subject, heartily dumped the medical book to the side and slid the scroll in front of her. As she idly looked over it, Sasuke leaned into the desk, his eyes drooping. "I was up all night reading it, playing out the scenario in my head."

Tsunade looked up, her brow furrowed. "What _scenario_?" Sasuke lifted his eyes. Tsunade recognized the faulty look as the one Sasuke had given her the night he first came back. The guilt ridden night at the hospital. "Sasuke…"

"That scroll… even though I loath it with all my heart… I'm thankful for it." Sasuke dropped his gaze when Tsunade assessed him with confusion. "Naruto used an interrogation technique to see my emotions." Tsunade's eyes widened a fraction. "Not only that, that's just a part of it." Sasuke met her eyes then, a murky seriousness in his own. "To put in simply: with a single touch, the user bonds his mind with the target's. It was used to experience the emotion, reason, and truth behind the target's actions as well as implant new ones. However, it was given up years ago when the users began to become tainted by the criminal's violence and intent."

When Sasuke paused hesitantly, Tsunade pursed her lips. "That's not all there was to it…?" she urged him on.

"To the jutsu, yes, to Naruto? No." Sasuke rubbed one eye with the heel of his palm before continuing. "Naruto must have put this into action before he met me in the hideout. He probably thought he could make me see the 'error of my ways' or something like that..." Tsunade raised a brow skeptically. Sasuke glanced away for a moment. "And I did… but that's not the point." he briskly moved on. "The point is that when he picked me up, it instantly bonded our minds."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "When you wiped out our memory temporarily, it left this huge gap in our minds. He forgot about his plan, seeing as he put the jutsu into play just before he met me. All those weeks afterward, our emotions kept clashing and mixing together, until we were both so confused out of our minds that we snapped at anything and everything." Sasuke in his frustration sighed, and ran his unoccupied hand through his hair. "I had gotten so irritated that I didn't want anything to do with him anymore, so I stopped talking to him, and ignored him completely."

It was silent for a moment more, Sasuke's troubled eyes roaming her desk so heavily that Tsunade didn't dare speak. She just let him roll through it. "…That's when the cold feeling came." Sasuke rubbed his chest. "I had gotten so used to the confliction inside me, to Naruto's raging emotions inside me, that when I ignored him… I felt empty."

Tsunade opened her mouth to valuate the situation, but found that wasn't what came out. "He felt the same way." When Sasuke's eyes met her, she moved to explain. "He came in to the hospital one day of his own free will to speak to a doctor about it- it was _that _concerning to him. Seeing as the doctor couldn't find anything wrong, he told Naruto so, and that was when Naruto erupted into a horrible fit of rage and began to insult the medics." Sasuke's eyes widened.

"That doesn't sound like him at all."

Tsunade cocked her head. "Who does that sound like?" Sasuke lowered his eyes. "Ah. He was pent up with your frustration I suspect. He got so out of hand, the doctors called me to come and calm him down. By the time I got there, Naruto was fighting quite vivaciously with two Anbu who were trying to restrain him. They were treated afterwards."

A light flush came to Sasuke's cheeks, and he coughed into his fist. "Well, I can control that anger, though it seems that Naruto, uh, can't."

Tsunade smirked. "I seem to recall a second incident at the hospital when we couldn't find out what was wrong with _you_."

Sasuke glared, his face reddening. "Anyways…"

Tsunade chuckled. "Yes, anyways…"

"…Naruto finally got fed up with me ignoring him, and he confronted me at Ichiraku's. He grabbed me by the shirt, effectively bonding us again, and it was like the emptiness exploded into this- this huge cloud of rampaging emotion. So much that it scared me; made me turn numb. All at the same time I felt scared, frustrated, angry, hopeless, and I didn't know why. …But now I know, that that was how Naruto was feeling. I don't know how he can stand so tall, and smile like he does, when his emotions are so strong. They made _me_ have an anxiety attack. I couldn't breathe, my heart was pounding, and then there was this fire in my stomach that made me feel like I was going to spill my guts right then and there." Sasuke lowered his eyes. "…All he did was look away, and it was gone. …I was empty again."

The bird inched along Sasuke's shoulder, settling close to Sasuke's ear where it brushed against his hair as it ruffled its feathers. It then tucked in its beak, closing its eyes. Sasuke gave the bird a glance before returning his eyes to his amused hokage.

"It seems relaxed around you."

"…Yeah. I must get it from Naruto." he joked.

Tsunade smiled and began to laugh.

Sasuke gave a small smile in return, but it broke away. "But… it was like, he took my anger, my sadness, this… _huge_ weight off of my shoulders, but I didn't give him anything in return but those things that had tied me down. Now, I see through this whole new light… I can't help but find myself smiling and I not even know what made me do such a thing. I actually scared a couple people… they literally ran away thinking some plague had come or the apocalypse had dawned." Sasuke found heat rushing through his head and balling behind his eyes. "I actually admired the sky for being blue yesterday! For being fucking blue! And all Naruto could probably do was…" Sasuke clenched his eyes shut, and turn his head away. "…I don't want to know what he thought about."

Tsunade too looked away, down into her hands. "…Naruto is Naruto."

Sasuke wiped his stinging eyes. "…what?"

Tsunade sighed, presenting the Uchiha with a small smile. "Naruto wouldn't let those kinds of emotions drag him down. If anything, he would have gotten angry and gone out of his way to destroy some trees, then go to Ichiraku's, eat twelve bowls of ramen, head home, and then promptly fall asleep- denying he ever violated the Nara's property."

Sasuke raised a brow at the little input, but decided to leave it there it the open. "…I see." He leaned back into his chair slowly, the bird still perched on his shoulder. "I thought that maybe all I had done was throw misery at him, but what you said sounds more reasonable."

Tsunade let Sasuke roam through his thoughts before she asked him the question she knew would end what she felt was a little counseling session, albeit a comforting one. "Sasuke," she waited for his full attention, "what was it about this whole ordeal that made you thankful for it?"

Sasuke found himself smiling again. "I can still feel him."

Tsunade's eyes widened. "But- but he…"

Sasuke stood, the bird making an alarmed noise as it hurried to resettle itself. "No, he's not, and that's proof alone." Sasuke's smile faded. "As glad as I am that he's still alive… I wish they were happy emotions."

Tsunade flinched when Sasuke set his determined eyes on her, slamming his hands down on the desk. "I want full responsibility for the sight! I have to find him! He's in pain, Tsunade!"

The hokage was alarmed to here him speak her name so familiarly, but felt that after all of this, it was more than appropriate. She gave a small smile, and a nod, stunned further when his face lit up with a grin.

"Thank you!"

Sasuke turned tail and ran from the office then, his footsteps echoing down the hallway before fading into silence. Tsunade blinked wearily at the closed doors.

"I need some sake."

* * *

The sun found a perfect resting place among the cloak of clouds, letting a blanket of cool air float over Konoha once more. Sasuke paused in his walk home, realizing for the first time how much more comfortable he found it here. Before, he couldn't stand how bright and cheery everything around him was when life was so unfair and depressing. Naruto was the only thing that could have given him relief, the only one who could have made him feel special, wanted, and happy. But now, it was almost as if he was seeing the world from Naruto's eyes. How unreal it was, how ethereal and short lasting one simple thing could be. Sasuke lightly fingered the black bird's feathers as it slept on his shoulder.

As he continued on his way, he looked up at the shaded sun; a sea of blue dancing in its late rays of orange that dusted the white clouds. Sasuke took a deep breath of refreshing air, smelling the slight scent of baking sweets as he ventured closer to the market. Sasuke enjoyed this laid-back feeling. Nothing bothered him even if he took notice to it. He found his thoughts wandering as he shifted through the crowds.

Itachi's voice sauntered through his ears, and Sasuke paused in the middle of the village bustle. Unexpectedly troubled, Sasuke frowned as his life's despair slinked at the back of his mind. _Why do feel so down when I should be angry at the mere mention of him…? _Sasuke headed for a stand to sit at, finding himself at Ichiraku's.

He sat down, the smell of ramen wafting through his senses. His thoughts began to whir, becoming deeper than they ever had before.

"Ah, Sasuke! What a surprise. What'll you have?"

Sasuke nodded at Ichiraku, "Miso, please."

Ichiraku spied his rather dark friend. "Ah, what a sleek lookin' bird you have there."

"It kind of came along for the ride."

He was given a grin as the old man moved about to prepare his meal. Sasuke let his eyes drop to the counter, preoccupied with his thoughts as the gentle sounds of activity behind the counter oddly comforted him. _Itachi used to be so kind, and caring… how did he change so drastically so suddenly? _Sasuke frowned. _Well, I guess he never really was there for me. _Sasuke's frown loosened, _…but that was only because he was busy with all the standards Father made him live up to. All of that would make anyone upset with their parents… _Sasuke swallowed thickly. _But then why did he kill his friend? Wait, he said he didn't… besides, Itachi loved that guy, he couldn't have killed him. …Does that mean that Itachi was so mad at Mother and Father that he didn't love them? _

"Here you go!"

A crumbling cracker was handed to the bird, and Ichiraku was rewarded with a delighted warble. A bowl of steaming ramen was placed under Sasuke's nose, the warmth radiating into his face. "Thank you," Sasuke murmured, finding himself more interested in the food than he thought he would be. Breaking his chopsticks and bringing some to his mouth, he delved deeper into what he thought were the most absurd thoughts his mind had ever offered.

_Even so, that doesn't give him a reason to kill the whole clan… _

"_I was merely testing my ability…"_

Sasuke stuffed more noodles into his mouth. _After all, the Itachi I grew up with would never say something like that. Would never think like that. All the things that came from his mouth sounded of wisdom and a warm relief from doubts. …That night seems more like a nightmare than reality now that I think about it… What could have changed him? What could have happened to make him so violent…?_

Sasuke wasn't surprised when he could think of nothing.

"You finished that off pretty fast there, Sasuke!" Ichiraku's deep voice brought him back into the present. Sasuke gently set his chopsticks down, ignoring the crumbs tumbling from his shoulder.

"Just lost in my thoughts. …Can I ask you something?"

Ichiraku leaned onto the counter, crossing his arms in a relaxed manner. "What is it?"

Sasuke folded his hands in his lap, gazing down into his bowl. "…There's this guy, well, theoretically, let's just go with Naruto because they're kind of alike." Ichiraku nodded. "He used to be so kind and caring, but one day he just changed into this… monster. He was like, this whole different person." Sasuke pinned Ichiraku with how serious it was. "What could have changed him so significantly?"

Ichiraku rubbed his whiskered chin thoughtfully. "There had to have been something at stake. Maybe something very important to him had been in danger, and that was the only way he went about it. Or, maybe he was trying to prevent something from happening. If it _was_ Naruto, I believe he would change quite significantly in nature if any of you were in trouble, hmm?" Ichiraku handed the bird a second cracker.

Sasuke nodded, appeased with this new information. Ichiraku grinned. "I hope I was of any help."

Sasuke stood, placing money onto the table. "You were, thanks."

As he exited the shop, Ichiraku called out to him, "Anytime, Sasuke."

Sasuke stuffed his hands into his pockets, watching the ground before his feet as he walked. _Something important to him… was I important to him? _This thought seemed to make an unsure feeling course through him, giving him a chill.

"Sasuke! How are you today? …What's with the bird?"

Sasuke paused, raising his eyes to non other than Sakura. Her eyes were in sort of tire, her shoulders sagging. Sasuke furrowed his brow. "It's a friend of mine." he murmured with flat sarcasm. "How are _you_ today?"

Sakura's red rimmed eyes rounded before she hid her dread behind a smile that was more of a grimace. "Well, you know, the usual. Just had some tea to wake me up, and now I'm going to go see Tsunade for some lessons." Sakura brushed her pink hair away from her face.

Sasuke frowned as her hand shook. "This is not the usual. You're not alright, Sakura. You deserve to be upset. Just go home and rest."

Sakura faded, dropping her hand. "…I don't know…"

"You're going to need it, because I suspect that tomorrow we'll be heading back to the sight to find Naruto."

Sakura's eyes widened. "So soon?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Don't you want to know if he's alright?"

Sakura nodded fervently. "I do, it's just… what if he's not?"

Sasuke's eyes darkened. "What do you mean? That just because he may be hurt and can't fight anymore, you'd leave him behind? Just like that?"

"What? No, I-"

"Well that's what it sounded like!" The bird gave a soft trill of unease.

Sakura's eyes welled with tears. "That's not what I meant."

Sasuke's hand clenched at his sides. "Then what _did_ you mean?"

Sakura dropped her eyes, searching the ground. "What if he's not okay? What if we found him…you know… I couldn't bare it."

"He's your teammate, you're so supposed to be there for him till the end! You'd leave him there to die?" Sasuke strode past her. "You're unbelievable. After all he's done for you."

Sakura pursed her lips, a torrent of tears streaming down her cheeks.

Sasuke snorted, briskly walking away to his home. _All she ever does is cry. She never did take a stand for anything. Even when her teammate's missing! _Rage swept up inside him as a cloudy pain webbed in his temple. _Why can't this day just end?! Why does it suddenly feel like I'm the only one who cares about this idiot?! _

Sasuke, finding himself at his home, angrily yanked the door open and slid inside. He treaded heavily through his home, the pain spreading through his head. The bird flew onto his bed post as he dropped onto his bed, groaning darkly into his pillow.

He lay there for hours, trying to sleep the day away. There was nothing more he could do- the pain in his head was disturbing. Sasuke turned his head to the side, and with a grumble, he pulled the covers over him. _This is only a part of what he's going through… _He wasn't going to be able to sleep. His head pounded with his heart's every stroke. His blood rushed in his ears for it was far too quiet. Sasuke's eyes wandered the room, finding them land on a lone headband still smeared with crimson, laying abandoned aside.

His heart seemed to slow, and Sasuke tossed the covers off. Standing, he carefully lifted the headband from it's solitary and brought it to his bathroom. The subtle flapping of wings sounded behind him before a light weight set on his shoulder. Grabbing a spare cloth, he wet it and scrubbed at the dried blood. It glazed beneath his hardship, a streak of pink staining the perfectly kept metal. Sasuke glowered at the mar on the other wise smooth metal.

_This headband must have been precious to him seeing how well kept it was… _An image of Naruto running headlong into a battle with Zabuza raced to the forefront of his mind. _All for this… _Sasuke sighed quietly, scrubbing more insistently at the pink tint. His fingers dipped into the metal suddenly, and Sasuke frowned. Removing the cloth, Sasuke found the reason for his headache. There was a small, shapely dent in the metal.

_He was knocked in the head. _Sasuke swallowed, a sudden grief hardened in his chest. _What if he got a concussion? What if we didn't find him because he didn't remember who he was and wandered off by himself? _Shivers ran down his spine, and he jumped when a thundering boom bounded outside his home. The bird gave a panicked shriek. A striking light flashed down his hallway, and another thrumming boom shook the house.

Sasuke pocketed the metal and swiftly grabbed the bird, hugging it to his chest as he quickly made way to his room. The thunder echoed his every step, almost as if it was following him. Sasuke jumped into bed, pulling the covers over his head. Thunder struck just outside his window, his tree crackling in response. Fear raced through his being and he held the bird closer as the tree began to wane, wood creaking and snapping until the tree finally fell. His house gave a violent tremor and groan like grating as vicious wind wracked his room, sending his blankets waving above him.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he took in the gaping hole of his home. His floor ended in a destruction of ravaged floorboards, the wall of his room torn out of existence. A thin stream of light flared outside of his room, just on his lawn, roaring as the ground shuddered and his lights flickered into existence.

Sasuke leapt from his bed, the bird shaking with fright as he dashed out of his home. Sasuke ran wildly into the empty market streets of Konoha that were moments ago filled with people. He tripped as a clap of electricity struck behind him, roaring after him. Sasuke made a mad leap from the ground and onto a balcony, throwing himself inside what he considered his second home. The lightning and thunder thudded just outside of the apartment, the trees moaning quietly just before the fall of rain crashed onto the ground. Sasuke panted and gasped, hugging the bird tightly as he slid down the door and onto the floor in a mess. White light lit up the room, the thunder just a little ways away. Sasuke scrambled to his feet and tore the blinds over the window. Shutting the door, Sasuke breathed heavily in the darkness.

The bird gave a low call, and Sasuke shushed it softly. Exhaustion flooded through him, and Sasuke slowly made his way to Naruto's bed. Crawling under the covers he had fixed the day before, the smell that surrounded him smothered him with placidness. Sasuke unwound under this security, letting the bird crawl out of his hands.

In the warm contentment, Sasuke's eyes drooped. A soft body curled under his chin and into his collar where it slowly sank into a state of sleep. The rain lulled a rhythm of tranquility through the abode, and all within became easily subdued.

* * *

**A/N**

**Whew, my heart was pounding when i wrote the second part! I hate thunder storms! Especially when it's right outside your house! O_O **

**I just felt really bad about leaving a cliffhanger when I'd been gone so long ^^' _tsukiko94 _agrees, so i made this! ta da!**

**If anyone felt bad for Sasuke because his house got thundered, do say so. And if you're wondering, that bird will get a name ^^**

**Chapter 11! Review to Continue! I'm warning yah! Do it!**

**-Love, MM :D**


	13. Underground Lay the Answer

**Chapter 12**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!**

* * *

Darkness. All around, there was darkness. That's what first occurred in Sasuke's stagnant mind. There was a sort of fuzzy static in his head. He began to move his arm in order to remove the comforter that he had pulled over his head in the night, when an inexplicable jolt of pain ran up his arm. He cried out softly, his voice coming out distorted and somewhat muffled in his throat. Sasuke could hear his heart beat rumble through the static, every breath he took harsh in his ears. His thoughts muddled in the disoriented state.

Sasuke's eyes roamed around and around, but he was not sure if they were even open. It was so dark. He shivered as a dank chill ran up his legs and through his chest, finally rattling down his spine. That's when he realized, he was drenched. Sasuke took notice to his trembling as the cold invaded his skin. Dimly, his teeth's chattering became known to his ears that began to sting, and his arm pulsed with agony. Sasuke clenched his jaw, and in turn, a tingling race of pin prickles ran through it. The same prickle pierced his calves. He fought down a scream that wedged in his throat. Breathing heavily, he slung his other, rather numb arm over his heavy body, and grasped his burning forearm, pressing it tight against his side. _W-what…_

Varies waves of throbbing pulses drummed through him, sizzling like tiny embers had imbedded into his skin. Though, seeing there was no light, that was not the case.

The creaking of a door drove his eyes into pools of white light. He shied away, and squinting from the corner of his eye at the dark and lanky figure, an unexplainable fear washed over him. Sasuke's intemperate brain registered he was shuffling his feet, trying to push his body back to gain some sort of distance between himself and the stranger. This action did not only occur to him as being absent of command, but it also did nothing but slosh thick water around which he noted was surrounding him.

The lanky figure leaned on the doorframe. "Well, what a surprise."

Sasuke's foggy mind thrummed as a voice echoed inside of it, "What surprise? That I'm still alive?" Sasuke froze, realizing that the voice had come from his throat, but it was obvious that it was not his.

His head slid along the puddle littered ground, an action that pulled the straining and tingling muscles in his neck. The ache spread, clouding the back of his head. Continuing to stress the cramped muscles, it turned until the shadowed figure was in dead-sight. "Or that I'm still capable of kicking your scrawny ass?"

The figure bolted jerkily from the door, storming into the water- one leg moving contortedly. He leaned down, wrapping a thin hand around Sasuke's collar and lifting him effortlessly into the air. As the world moved around him, it seemed blurry and an afterimage faded behind every object, almost as if his conscience just wasn't quite following his eyes fast enough. "You son of a-"

The figure's gritting voice pinched off as Sasuke's leg rose sharply, right between the figure's legs. A low squeak of surprise left the man's lips before he doubled over. Sasuke hissed as he was dropped into the water. His elbow made contact with the hard floor, bone racking pain splintering up and through his burning forearm. A cry of pain shot into the air from his throat, and Sasuke scrambled to pull his thoughts together. Nothing seemed to materialize in his confounded mind, and he found the voice pushing through his lips that he had no control over.

"Wow… so you _are_ a man… I was beginning to think you had no p-"

"Will you shut your fucking mouth! I am so tired of hearing you speak!"

Sasuke stilled, waiting for a response to leave him. A weak chortle met his puzzled head and his mind fizzed when he recognized it. "Tough. It'll take a lot more than poison to get rid of me…" _Naruto…_

The figure stood hastily on shaking legs. "Fucking lunatic!" the figure sneered, kicking water into Sasuke's vision. He felt his eyes scrunch hastily shut, and after a moment of hesitation, like a break in time, pain sizzled through his eyes. But he knew, they weren't his eyes.

"Ah! Fucking bastard!" Naruto screamed. He lifted his almost numb arm, scrubbing furiously at the burning.

"How about now?! Got any smart ass comments now?!" The figure shuffled through the water at his side, and a sharp jolt of pain raged in Naruto's ribs. Sasuke gasped, feeling the blunt point of the man's foot collide with his own ribs moments later. _I'm in Naruto's mind…_

Naruto gasped as the air left his lungs with a second blow. Anger welled up in Sasuke's chest. Sasuke tried to turn Naruto's cloudy vision, to look around for anything, a land mark that would indicate where the blond was. All he could see were dark shadows and a lit sea of dark sloshing puddles. He was underground.

Naruto coughed hoarsely, shutting his eyes against Sasuke's persistence. "Ha…haha… you might as well just leave me… kicking the crap out of me won't make me die any faster…"

"Doesn't hurt to try." the man snarled.

Sasuke was overcome with anxiousness, desperately searching for something he could do to help. When the water rippled as the man lifted his foot for another round of abuse, Sasuke forced his will into Naruto's body. In response to Sasuke's directive, Naruto's body rolled over and away from the man just as the boot descended.

"Sit still!"

Sasuke could feel the surprise overcome Naruto's senses. Sasuke pulled at Naruto's legs, lifting him up to his knees before straining the muscles to move in his right arm, pressing the injured arm tightly against his chest. Sasuke urged Naruto into a standing position, but the blond's knees shuddered before giving out. Rock bit into his tender skin, and Naruto grit his teeth.

Sasuke cursed colorfully and tried desperately to clear out his head.

"You've got a lot of nerve, brat!" the man hissed. The clinking of metal introduced a weapon being pulled out of a pouch.

Sasuke forced a command into Naruto's mind. _Run! Get away!_

But Naruto's body didn't move- couldn't move. Sasuke frantically pulled at Naruto's will, knowing if the blond at least relied on that alone, he would be able to render the already injured man into submission. But still, Naruto's muscles stiffened, spasms begining to form. _…I can't…_

Sasuke was momentarily put off at the reply, but he pushed again. _Yes, you can! Get your fucking ass in gear!_

_S-sasuke…?_

Sasuke pushed him again. _Get out of there!_

_Sasuke, I can't… The poison-_

_You've never let anything stop you before!_

The man sloshed through the water messily. Naruto opened his eyes for a moment to see the distance between them. The picture was fuzzy, the kunai in the man's hand shining like a beacon. His eyes began to burn once more, and Naruto shut them tightly. His hands curled into fists under the dirtied water.

_Get up! _Sasuke growled.

Naruto grunted, lifting one knee with great difficulty. He pulled his foot under it- one leg up. Pulling his other knee off the ground, he pushed heartily against the wall into a standing position. His legs shook terribly beneath him, but using the wall as a support, he remained standing. Pulling his eyelids apart, he took in the distance once more. The blurry man stood not that far from him. An ugly sneer of white teeth shown on his shadowed face.

"You're fucking psychotic. No one has ever lasted in here this long." he snarled.

The man cocked back his arm, and threw the knife at Naruto's head. Sasuke pulled Naruto slightly to the left, the kunai imbedding into the wall. Naruto's trembling hand yanked it out, and shakily raised it to his defense. Sweat began to bead on his temples and over his brow.

_Naruto, where are you? I'll come bust you out-_

_No. _

Sasuke flinched at the strong denial. _What do you mean 'no'?!_

Naruto slid along the wall, his knees buckling slightly. _You don't understand, you can't come anywhere near here! _

Sasuke struggled to keep Naruto's eyes open. _Naruto, I can't just leave you there when I know you're in trouble!_

Naruto leaned all of his weight onto the wall. _Why do you think I'm in trouble in the first place? Because I'm _here_!_

_Where is _'here'_?!_

_Wouldn't you like to know?!_

_Yes, I would! Quit playing games with me Uzumaki! _

Naruto sighed outwardly.

"Getting tired, yet?" the man called across the room, panting just as harsh as Naruto was.

"Heh, you wish." he called back. _Sasuke, if you come anywhere near here, you'll fall on the spot. I won't allow that to happen._

Sasuke could feel his teeth grind, the only real movement he'd made during this whole charade. He could feel the warm blanket's touch on his skin. _What makes you different?_

There was a moment of silence. _…I have Kyuubi. _Sasuke sat up, careful to keep his eyes closed in case that might, by chance, break the connection. The cool air rushed to meet his heated face. _Now listen. Under the sight, there are pipes. The intruder made them- that's what was uprooting the trees. I don't know what they're for, but they can't be good! _

…_Naruto, I can't let you-_

_Sasuke. _Naruto's serious tone struck him hard, and then his chest went dull.

Sasuke opened his eyes, Naruto's shaded room greeting him with a quiet atmosphere. Sasuke tossed his legs over the side of the bed distressfully, Naruto's injuries leaving a dull feeling in his limbs where they resided. He rubbed his forearm, the pain so real only moments ago. Something soft brushed his ear, making him jump and swiftly turn around.

The black bird sat on the head board, its feathers ruffled and mused. Sasuke merely stared at it and it raised the feathers on its head in curiosity. The shiny black eyes pinned him as he realized how much the bird resembled himself. With this note, he smoothed out what could only be referred to its 'bed head', trying to make the bird more presentable. He carefully combed the eccentrically long thin tail feathers. The bird made a series of notes, obviously enjoying the attention.

Sasuke blinked, suddenly remembering the marked passage in the summoning book he had read the night before. Inquiringly, Sasuke cocked his head, and the bird followed. He raised his eye brows, and the bird lifted the feathers on its head further. _I knew it. He used mimicry to teach it._

Sasuke rolled his eyes, flattered when the bird did the same. "If you can produce various sounds, I bet you can talk, right?" The bird opened its mouth, but no sound came out. Sasuke thought of something simpler to say. "You're an idiot."

"You~r an idio~t!" the bird retorted. Sasuke blinked, surprise overcoming his features. He assessed the bird carefully.

"So you do understand speech?"

The bird cocked its head, leaning forward on its perch. Sasuke frowned.

"What did Naruto refer to you as?" The bird blinked confusedly. "I mean, what's your name?"

The bird warbled, its eyes lighting up in recognition. "Koto~!" he cooed, a perfect imitation of Naruto's voice.

"Koto. It suits you I guess." Sasuke knitted his brow. "Koto, do you know where Naruto is?"

Koto's feathers bristled, making his chest puff out in alarm. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "…I'll take that as a yes."

* * *

**A/N**

**Koto means 'harp'. Naruto named him this because of the various sounds Koto makes ^^**

**It wasn't as long as I'm going to make them now, but because i had limited time to write all week, this is all that came as a result -_-'**

**sorry to those of you who wanted a longer chapter!! ,**

**Chapter Twelve! Review to Continue! I'm serious! Review or it won't continue- or be put on hold.**

**-MM**


	14. A Bump In The Road

**Chapter 13**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!**

**A/N: sorry for the wait ^^'**

Sasuke stared intensely at the bird, Koto's eyes just as sharp. Sasuke glared at him, but all he did was trill with curiosity. Sasuke sighed.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?" he muttered.

Koto cocked his head. "He doesn't want to be found."

Sasuke was a little put off at the direct reply, but he narrowed his eyes icily at Koto. "But he's in danger, doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Koto's chest ruffled further, indicating he was indeed troubled. "Naruto made me promise." he piped.

Sasuke dropped his eyes. "Of course he did."

Sasuke turned away from Koto, sliding off the bed and into his shoes. Sliding his hand into his pocket, Sasuke fingered the hitiate. Taking a deep breath, Sasuke walked over to the cabinet where he had put all of Naruto's theories. Kneeling, he opened the cabinet slowly so it would not attack him a second time and removed the papers from the confines.

"Please don't be mad at me."

Sasuke looked over his shoulder at Koto who sat on the bed, his black head bowed. "I'm not mad at you. But if Naruto was in pain, and I knew where he was, I would tell. I wouldn't hold valuable information just because that idiot made me promise. He's in trouble, that's a good enough reason for me."

Koto tucked his beak into his ruffled chest, his black eyes shining. Sasuke looked back to the papers, shifting through them until he came to the interrogation jutsu.

"What are you going to do, Sasuke?"

Sasuke read them carefully. "I'm going to save his dumb ass, what else would I do?" he muttered darkly. "If I figure out how to turn this jutsu around, Naruto won't be able to push me out of his mind. If I can stay in his mind long enough, I'll be able to find where he is by using his memories as a map. So, whether you tell me or not, I'm still going to find him."

Sasuke glanced back at Koto. "It'll be quicker if you just tell me." Koto looked up at him. "The sooner I figure this out, the less pain Naruto has to endure."

Sasuke eyed Koto, waiting for a response. Koto looked away. "Fine."

Sasuke smiled softly, getting to his feet. "Great. Let's go see Tsunade."

Koto lifted his wings hurriedly. "Wait!"

Sasuke paused, folding the papers and stuffing them into his pocket with the hitiate. "What?"

"I'm hungry."

Sasuke scowled. "So."

Koto's eyes glinted. "I can't fly on an empty stomach."

Sasuke growled. "Fine. We'll go get breakfast, _then_ see Tsunade."

Koto whistled merrily, lifting from the bed swiftly and perching on Sasuke's shoulder.

"Ow! Watch the talons!"

Koto gave a series of tweets that Sasuke suspiciously coded as laughter. "Sorry."

Sasuke leered at the bird, walking towards the door. "Sure you are."

"I am!"

Sasuke didn't care to take stairs so he leapt down into the market from Naruto's balcony, scaring a couple of civilians. Sasuke held back a smirk, amused with their jumpiness. Making his way to Ichiraku's, Sasuke kept his eyes solely ahead, refusing to look up at the sky which he had developed a habit of doing. He felt a sort of giddiness build up in his stomach and Sasuke was quick to squash it down.

_I hate having Naruto's emotions. He gets excited over nothing. _Irritated, Sasuke huffed.

"Ah, Uchiha! I was looking for you!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Turning, he was met with a face full of Kiba. "Back up, dog breath."

Kiba's eyes widened. He took a step forward, surprise riddled eyes looking over Sasuke warily. "Okay, I'm totally confused. Did you and Naruto like switch bodies or something?" Kiba poked him in the stomach, muttering under his breath about clones.

Sasuke's stomach tightened at never being poked before, and he shoved Kiba's hand away. "Don't touch me. I assure you I'm tangible."

Kiba scrunched his nose. "Never mind. Naruto doesn't use big words."

Sasuke raised his brow sarcastically. "Have you ever thought that maybe he just doesn't use them around you because they confuse you? Because when _we_ spar he uses a _very_ depicting vocabulary."

Kiba grinned curtly before it broke away to an intriguing gaze he aimed at Sasuke. "Hmm. You know, you used to annoy me Sasuke. But now, there's just something about you that I like."

Sasuke grimaced. "Oh god, please tell me you're not hitting on me."

Kiba's eyes widened before he burst into laughter. "Good one, Uchiha! I didn't know you cracked jokes."

Sasuke blinked absently. "It's a new establishment."

Kiba chuckled. "Sure. Hey, where're you heading?"

Sasuke looked toward the ramen stand. "I was going to get some breakfast then head over to see Tsunade."

Kiba nodded acutely, rubbing the back of his head. "I see. Um, you don't mind if I join you, do you? Shino and Hinata went on a little delivery mission."

Sasuke hesitated, looking from the stand to Kiba. "Sure, I guess."

Kiba was obviously surprised, yet he grinned toothily. "Cool."

Sasuke began to walk once more, Kiba walking beside him. Sasuke felt that giddiness bubble up within him again, and he glanced at Kiba from the corner of his eye. _Naruto must have this sixth sense where he can tell something good is going to happen. To him, sharing a meal with a friend would probably be the best life could give him._

Kiba looked at him, aware of the stare. "What's up dude?"

Sasuke blinked. _Did he just call me 'dude'? _"Ah, nothing. I was just thinking that Naruto would have liked to… never mind." Sasuke dropped his eyes. _Since when do _I _speak my mind?_

Kiba frowned, taking Sasuke's silence as a grieving kind of thing. "He would've liked to eat with anyone, I know. It was like a Naruto thing." Kiba smiled when Sasuke looked at him. "He was always the first to jump on a get together."

Sasuke chewed on the inside of his cheek. _He said 'was'. _Seeing as they were getting close to Ichiraku, he spoke up. "I have something to tell you."

Kiba nodded. "Me too."

Sasuke sighed lightly, entering the shop and taking a seat next to the wall. Kiba sat beside him. Ichiraku walked up the counter, grinning when he saw Sasuke.

"Ah, Sasuke! Back so soon? This isn't going to turn into a habit, is it?" he winked.

Sasuke shook his head lightly, pointing at the bird. "Koto wanted some more of your crackers."

Ichiraku chuckled, scratching the underside of Koto's chin. "Do you now?"

Koto warbled cheekily from his shoulder, and Sasuke shrugged. "I'll have the miso again."

Kiba spoke up from beside him. "I'll have the same."

Ichiraku placed a stack of crackers onto the counter before walking away. "You got it."

Sasuke crossed his arms over the counter when Koto hopped down to eat his crackers. "So what was it you wanted to tell me, Kiba?"

Kiba pursed his lips and looked down at the counter. "I just thought, I mean, with what happened the other day with Sakura, that we're all being unfair with you."

Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction, and he rubbed his elbows unconsciously. "Oh…"

Kiba looked up at him, his expression downcast like a puppy being scolded. "Yeah. Naruto always stuck up for you, though. He always told us you had your reasons for leaving, that you were just confused, but we always put you down- and I just wanted apologize. Personally, I mean. 'Cause I know you're a good guy underneath it all."

Sasuke bit his lip, dropping his eyes. "No, you don't have to apologize. I deserved it. It was stupid."

"Sasuke, man, don't be like that, alright?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No, I mean it. I'm not just saying it." Sasuke's hands clenched into fists. "All those things I said to him. I hurt him. I almost killed him. I deserve it."

Kiba was silent, and an awkward silence hung between them. Sasuke tensed when a hand patted his shoulder. "I can tell you regret it, and that's what counts Sasuke. It would be different if you didn't. And… I know that he's already forgiven you, so now, you need to forgive yourself."

Sasuke thought for a moment. He nodded. "I guess you're right."

Sasuke could practically feel Kiba beam at him, and when he raised his eyes it nearly blinded him. "When aren't I?" he joked.

Sasuke smirked. "Honestly, I didn't know you were that smart."

Kiba frowned, his lip sticking out in a pout. "Hey, man, that's not cool."

Sasuke couldn't hold back his smile. "You set yourself up for that one."

Kiba hesitated, Sasuke's smile catching him off guard. He grinned. "You're right."

"Here you go! Two miso!" Ichiraku bellowed, sliding two bowls under their noses.

Kiba licked his lips. "Awesome!" Breaking his chopsticks, he literally dove into the bowl.

Sasuke went about it in a more polite manner. He took small bites. Pausing, he swallowed. "There's something, about Naruto, that I have to tell you."

Kiba looked up from his bowl, noodles hanging from his mouth. "Whut?"

Sasuke's mouth twitched, but he smothered the smile down. "He's not… really dead."

Kiba froze, his half eaten noodles falling down into his bowl. Sasuke grimaced. "What do you mean?"

Sasuke breathed deeply. "I mean, in the sight, there's pipes underneath the ground. The intruder pulled him down there, that's why we couldn't find him."

Kiba swallowed. "…this isn't a joke is it? Uchiha, this better not be a joke, I cried when they told me he was gone!"

Sasuke frowned. "Why would a joke about something like this?" His brow furrowed, and he pointed to Koto. "This is a bird Naruto summoned. It's still around because Naruto told it to watch me. Koto knows where Naruto is, and he's going to show me."

Kiba nodded slowly, his comprehension just a little slow. "Dude, I'm just happy that Naruto's still kicking… I don't think I can handle a whole strategy plan right now."

Sasuke nodded. "I couldn't at first either, but I can't just give up on him."

Kiba focused, suddenly determined. "You're right. What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to see Tsunade and get a team pulled together."

Kiba sighed, his face falling. "There might be a little problem with that."

Sasuke sat straighter. "What, why?"

"Because Tsunade is gathering a lot of the rookie nine right now for a long term mission."

"_What?!_"

* * *

**A/N**

**Tsunade is just plain mean isn't she?? Koto and Sasuke are going to have a few disputes along the way! haha srry for the wait guys ^^' my internet is down so i had to upload from somewhere else..**

**Chapter 13! Review to Continue! SERIOUSLY!! REVIEW!!**

**-MM**


	15. Benevolence

**Chapter 14**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO**

**A/N: Oh my, wasn't that wait horrible? I am sooo sorry. Boy, I say that a lot don't I? Oh well, it's THE SUMMER! I shall be here ;) All of my stories have they're own news on my profile under the subtitle 'News On The Stories'! If anything happens and i don't update, the reason why and when it will be updated will be on there after the stories name. Kay? Kay.**

**Enjoy~**

* * *

Kiba was definitely _not okay _with a livid Uchiha.

"C-come on, Sasuke, let's not get over our heads here.."

"Yeah, Sasuke!"

Sasuke ignored Kiba's anxious tugging on the back of his shirt and Koto's squawking as he continued to storm up to the Hokage's main building. He continuously swatted at the bird when he would try to talk to him. Kiba strutted to keep up behind Sasuke, his tail firmly tucked between his legs. His brown eyes darted from the building to Sasuke's dark aura.

"Sasuke-"

"I told her my plan already, Kiba. She has no right to trample all over my… my… I'm going to give her a piece of my mind. This is ridiculous that she's sending everyone off to this," Sasuke brought his hands up in little air quotes, "_long term mission._"

Kiba blinked warily at the unexpected air quotes, but he didn't question it. Koto finally gave up and perched on Kiba's shoulder, taking a breather. "But Sasuke, you're one of the ones she was going to send a messenger after.."

Sasuke stopped abruptly, his dark eyes landing on Kiba like lasers. Kiba and Koto cringed madly under the dark scrutiny. "_What?_"

Villagers paused, looking on at the boys' rising commotion. A small crowd had gathered within seconds, all of them murmuring to one another. Koto's feathers ruffled, and he hid in Kiba's hood. Kiba's worried brown eyes swept over the crowd, and he took a step closer to Sasuke who glared at the few girls gathering beside him not three feet away. The girls flinched and scurried away, their heads bowed in fright.

Kiba grinned nervously, rubbing the back of his head as Koto's own little feathered head peeked out of the jacket to peer on the action. "Ah, there's nothing to see here…" Kiba complied, laying a stiff hand on Sasuke's shoulder to lead him, forcefully, behind a stand. Kiba frowned at Sasuke's rising temper, distraught by the amount of attention this one person could obtain when his voice raised. He also had this nagging feeling that the Uchiha was dragging his feet on purpose. "…I was there this early morning with Shino and Hinata, and Lady Hokage told me that I, you, Neji, Shikamaru and Chouji would be going on a long term mission on the outskirts of the Fire Country."

Sasuke's eyes flashed dangerously and Kiba held down the sudden urge to twiddle his fingers. Koto ducked back inside. "And you decided _now_ to tell me this, why?"

Kiba shifted his weight where he stood, fingering the hem of his shirt. "Um, it was just, you looked so angry back at the shop; it sort of slipped my mind… heheh…heh…"

Sasuke didn't seem to find it very funny. In fact, he turned like a dime back onto his tread to the deep red building in the distance. Kiba was a little worried when Sasuke's shoulders shook and he would rub his head carefully, and so he followed close behind. Koto seemed to share his anxiousness, warbling at Sasuke's behavior. Even if it felt like the world was shaking beneath Sasuke's wrath every time his foot met the ground, Kiba kept a steadying hand on the raven's shoulder, and Sasuke didn't shrug it off.

* * *

"But, Hokage-sama, I thought that it was useless to use the Byakugan."

Tsunade sighed heavily the fifth time that day, her brow severely dented and her bottle of sake half-empty. This was quite a statement in the wee morning. The great Hokage leaned over her desk, crossing her arms.

"Yes, that was established, but we have received new insight to this situation." she grumbled as an explanation.

Neji's eyes lit with intrigue. Shikamaru stood beside him, his arms crossed and his eyes shadowed. A light quip hung on his lips and he murmured quite often since entering the office. Chouji stood slightly apart from the two, feeling out of place with the Hyuuga present. Chouji instead eyed the door, using Sasuke and Kiba's appearance as a valid excuse to seem occupied and not join the conversation.

"We will have to wait for the others I'm afraid. I do not want to explain this more than-"

The door to the office chose that moment to violently throw itself open and slam into the wall. The inhabitants jumped- even Chouji who had been waiting for the door to open in the first place. A quite disturbed Uchiha stood in the doorway, his hand pressed firmly _into_ the door, with a very cowed looking Kiba peaking out from behind his irate figure. His hand had fallen somewhere between scuttling down the hallway (trying to keep up) and mistaking Sasuke's preparatory pause of wrath as a subtle calming before entering. His brown eyes apologized to the door that now sported a profound crack.

Tsunade raised a skeptical brow from her desk, though she had expected this. The raven stalked up to the large desk, planning on ultimately throwing it through the window when Neji stepped in front of him, his pale eyes shining with haut.

"Uchiha, I ask that you explain your behavior in the presence of the-"

Neji didn't have the time to finish however, when a pale hand grabbed his shoulder. Not a second was wasted as he was shoved aside, left to carefully regain his balance. Sasuke slammed his hands down onto the desk, papers jumping into the air and flittering about in a mass of white.

"Why the _hell_ are we being sent out on a _fucking mission _to the side of the country when _Naruto_ is in need of being retrieved?" he bellowed, again slamming his hands down on the obstructing hunk of wood in furious emphasize. His teeth were thoroughly grinded in his anger.

Tsunade didn't even bat an eyelash at the quaking outburst while the other three ninja looked taken aback. Just what from, Tsunade wasn't sure. Whether it be Naruto's sudden existence or Sasuke's actions, _or both_, she definitely was positive she did not appreciate the Uchiha storming into her office in such a manner. Sasuke panted heavily through his teeth, the result ending in a threatening hiss that had a dark resemblance to a venom-risen snake.

Shikamaru from the sidelines stepped forward, laying a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke swung around, murderous intent rolling off of him in waves. Shikamaru looked solemnly back at him. "Naruto isn't…?"

Sasuke blinked, his muddled and stained mind slowly untangling at the mention of Naruto's name from another's mouth. He didn't answer. His eyes fell away and Sasuke took a deep breath, sparing Shikamaru a slight nod before turning back to his subject at hand. Focusing on Tsunade's black ringed eyes of fatigue, Sasuke brought his hands from the desk top to his sides.

"I want to know the meaning of this." Sasuke muttered, trying to keep his voice under control. Shikamaru's hand tightened its grip curtly before sliding away.

Tsunade too seemed restrained, her hand trembling as she reached for her cup. "Hmph. This mission is a guard duty. You are all to travel to a factory not too far from the border of Konoha, not on the side of the _god forsaken country._"she hissed, mainly in Kiba's direction who jumped, frightened. He deftly slid behind the edgy Uchiha and out of sight. She spotted Koto's feathers falling from beneath the brunette's coat.

Tsunade rolled her eyes non to subtly and set her cup down. "Uchiha. This factory is involved with the sight. Its premises is on the far corner of the sight's territory. I'm taking this chance to see if the factory is more involved than it's leading on."

Sasuke frowned, "…leading on?"

"The factory sent in a bird that arrived this morning about an odd…" Sasuke glanced over to the Hyuuga due to his hesitation, "boy… terrorizing the employees." Neji was given a muddled expression in response.

Shikamaru sighed behind him. "We were asked to send in a few ninja to protect the factory and to also rid them of the estrange child."

Sasuke's brow drew together at the lazy ninja's input. "I don't see how this factory is suspicious."

"It is suspicious because of the man who is managing the factory." Sasuke's mind drew a plot but Tsunade beat him to the chase of his assumption's conclusion. "This man has been running this factory for quite some time now and of all the meetings we have had scheduled, to inspect the progressions they have made, he never attended. He always sent in another to speak for him. Not once has he spoken to me in person yet he asks for many things in order to continue his business."

Sasuke lowered his chin in thought. Koto finally made his appearance, softly landing on Sasuke's shoulder to cuddle up to him. Sasuke gave the bird a glance. "So you think it may be a 'puppet' situation."

Tsunade nodded. "There may not even be a _head_ at all. However, I cannot just send in shinobi to spy on their development at my will because that business greatly supports Konoha financially. They can take their business elsewhere, and we can not afford for that large reduction." Sasuke nodded correspondently. "But now that he has asked for shinobi to help in security matters, we can not overlook it. I must act now while we have this, for lack of better terms, _excuse_." Tsunade's eyes flashed determinedly. "Sasuke, on this mission you are allowed to search for Naruto as long as it does not interfere with your duties to guard the factory."

Neji stepped forward, relatively into Sasuke's bubble of personal space. The Uchiha scowled at the proximity but pursed his lips as not to get carried away. The Hyuuga's apprehensiveness hung heavily about him and Sasuke was acutely aware of this.

"Hokage-sama, how can you allow that so easily? How can you place such a burden upon Konoha?"

Sasuke sent a dark glare to the Hyuuga beside him, as did Koto, his feathers rising with anger. Tsunade too frowned deeply. "Whether I give him my permission or not, he will do what ever takes to find that brat. Why punish him for something I know will happen from the very beginning? I might as well allow it and strike it with restrictions to keep it from going very far."

Neji clenched his jaw and quietly distanced himself from the Uchiha. Shikamaru sighed lightly, rubbing his neck as if it ached. "Troublesome…" Chouji stood nervously behind him, feeling dreadfully out of place.

Kiba stepped in between Neji and Sasuke, watching the former warily. "I know you have some grudges Neji, but for the sake of this mission, please put them behind you."

Neji narrowed his eyes crossly at Kiba and left the request unanswered. Sasuke could feel his own hatred bloom in his gut as he set his eyes upon Neji. They had never settled well together, and as it seemed, they never will. Even as his hatred swirled vehemently, disappointment settled at its core. Sasuke's glare withered, and he looked away with a sigh. Koto appeared to feel Sasuke's vibe, trilling and tucking himself inside the Uchiha's collar.

"Hmm. Thank you for your hospitality, Tsunade." Sasuke murmured, placing a hand on Koto to settle the bird's anxiety.

Tsunade smirked at the murmuring brat beyond her desk. "Who says we're strangers, Sasuke? I feel it is more of a benevolence than hospitality."

Sasuke could feel that smile creeping up on him… Oh, too late.

* * *

**A/N: oh goodness, what do we have here? A short and late update. Again, im sorry. More chapters will be posted early to make up for my absence ;)**

**I love Kiba. he just settles everything doesn't he? Ah, comic relief...**

**This Has Been Chapter 14, And You Must Review In Order For It To Continue! Seriously, Review!**

**-MM ;3**


	16. My Responsibility

**Chapter 15**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO**

**A/N: Here is an early chap! ;) Sasuke finds himself very worrisome... Enjoy~**

* * *

Sasuke gathered his things while his mind gathered ridiculous assumptions to this day's unfolding events. All this thinking had made him incredibly nervous yet just as determined to find Naruto. Koto was still sleeping, having had stayed up quite late into the evening with Sasuke while he read over the theories of the interrogation technique. That bird had caused quite a commotion when Sasuke tried to go home that night after the meeting with Tsunade. Koto had claimed that a demon must have been taking refuge in Sasuke's home what with the thunderstorm and half of the house missing.

Sasuke's dark eyes shifted over to the drastic hole in his house. There had been no repairing just yet, but he made arrangements the day before for someone to come and fix it up. When Tsunade had heard of the accident, she had pushed money into the Carpenters' hands when Sasuke couldn't summon up enough. She even had this maternal moment, telling Sasuke that if he ever needed anything that he should just ask. He had had a flashback to when Naruto had been complaining about Tsunade doing the same for him, saying he needed so much the old lady would go bankrupt and so he would never ask for anything.

Sasuke agreed, coming to the conclusion that if he ever did ask for anything, Tsunade would probably go overboard. He shook his head amusedly, placing more kunai into his bag's side pouch. The point was: Koto had made such a big deal about staying in the Uchiha's home, going so far as to peck Sasuke brutally in the head, that Sasuke had taken refuge in Naruto's apartment again.

He wasn't complaining. The apartment wasn't bad or anything like that, but he felt like he was intruding. Naruto wasn't home. Sasuke didn't have any sort of permission to stay a second night, but he had anyway. What further bothered him, was that he hadn't heard a word from Naruto since the nightmare incident when Sasuke had accidentally infiltrated the blond's mind. The only sort of connection he held was the dull pain in his head where Naruto got clobbered.

_What if he did get a concussion? _

This thought had plagued Sasuke since the first moment he concocted it. He couldn't be sure whether he needed to consider it or not, but he just had this feeling that it was true. Something in his gut told him that even if it was a head wound, the pain should have died off by now if it was minor. Which meant it wasn't. This was only one of the scenarios that made Sasuke's stomach curdle with anxiety.

He also feared he wouldn't be able to find Naruto. If Naruto didn't want to be found, maybe he gave Koto the wrong coordinates? This question, however, also had a counter in Sasuke's mind. Koto wouldn't be given the wrong location if Naruto still wanted to keep tabs on Sasuke, which he probably did. But it still bothered Sasuke anyway because it was a possibility.

He had conjured millions of scenarios that sort of settled in the back of his mind. These too aggravated him though they were not his deepest worries.

"…Sasuke?"

Sasuke paused from his packing, turning to look at the ruffled fluff he called a bird curled up the bed. Koto blinked wearily at him, stretching his wings to their full span. "What'cha doing?"

Sasuke smirked at the sleepy question, straightening the small stack of theories before carefully placing them among his things. "Packing for the mission."

Koto suddenly hopped up from the bed and onto Sasuke's hands, stilling Sasuke's movement. Koto's eager black eyes shone in the morning light, revealing a tint of rustic-red in his iris. "I'm going too, right?" he asked worriedly.

Sasuke noticed how young Koto sounded suddenly, and he wondered just how old this bird was for it's size. Maybe just what breed it was exactly, too. Koto was as tall as Sasuke's forearm in length, his eyes as big as marbles and as expressive as any human child's. Sasuke shook his hand, Koto's half-conscious form tumbling onto the mattress.

"Of course you are." Sasuke murmured.

Koto sighed, obviously relieved. The thin bird began to set it's feathers while Sasuke continued to pack. "Are we going to Ichiraku's today?" Koto asked hopefully.

Sasuke snorted. "You're just as bad as Naruto when it comes to that shop."

Koto chirped, raising his Mohawk-like feathers on his head. "Is there something wrong with going to Ichiraku's?" he piped curiously.

Sasuke began to zip up his pockets and make sure everything was secure. "For you, probably not, since you only eat the old man's crackers. For us, it would be unhealthy to eat ramen often."

Koto lifted himself onto Sasuke's shoulder, picking at the boy's hair. "Naruto goes there everyday!"

Sasuke swung his bag onto his back and leapt out the gigantic hole that was the side of his house. "Yeah, I know. But he's inhuman, so he doesn't count."

Koto whirred those series of tweets Sasuke had considered laughter. He was sure now that that was just what it was.

There seemed to be a couple men already standing outside his house. They were looking over a blueprint and scoping out his home. When they noticed his presence, they grinned.

"Hey there, Sasuke. We came early when we heard how bad it was. We wanted to crack down."

Sasuke recognized the young man speaking to him. Team Seven had worked for him when the man first started, way back before Sasuke ever left. Sasuke and Naruto had been helping him carry lumber about to build a new institution while Sakura helped with the blueprints.

"Oh, Akio-san. I was a little worried to leave this in someone else's hands, but now that I know just who's hands it is, my worries are settled." Sasuke murmured thoughtfully.

Akio blushed, embarrassed. "Ah, thank you, Sasuke."

Sasuke smiled warmly at him before it fell, and he walked away. Akio and his men watched the Uchiha go, confusion clearly littering their focus. "Was that really Sasuke Uchiha just now?" Akio muttered amazedly. His men agreed, sharing his confound. "Maybe Naruto just really got to him…" Akio grinned, pleased with the turn of events.

The men had learned long ago that Naruto had a good influence on many people, despite his past. "That little brat's gonna go far." One man chuckled, and the crowd began to converse instead of do their duty.

Sasuke looked back over his shoulder at the men, hearing Naruto's name. They were all smiling and laughing. Sasuke smirked before clearing his throat. "Hey! Get to work!" he called to them apathetically cold.

The men jumped to attention, turning back to their blueprints. "…definitely Uchiha…" they murmured.

Koto laughed from his shoulder as Sasuke continued on his way. He had woken up early that morning to get Koto breakfast before they left. Naruto didn't carry crackers or anything of the sort, and neither did Sasuke for his distaste of heavy salt. Stopping by the market, Sasuke grabbed a whole box. After giving Koto a few, he put the box in his bag.

The walk to the gate was blissfully quiet for the Uchiha despite Koto's eating habits, and the many children stopping him so they could pet his bird. Koto liked the attention. Eventually encouraged by it, Koto began to talk nonstop. He commented on the smells of Konoha, how the clouds looked that day, complained about the heat, and overall talked Sasuke's ear off.

Sasuke, in due course, shoved Koto from his shoulder. When he reached the gate, he leaned against the cool pillar in the shade. The entry guards looked at him with pity as Koto continued to chatter on and on. Sasuke had forgotten their names- those two shinobi who seemed to always have the duty of guarding the gate. He wracked his brain for their names when he really didn't know why he cared. Koto's voice became a white noise. It was just mindless chatter; incompetent and useless.

"Shut up! Please just shut up…" Sasuke pleaded, sliding down the pillar that held Konoha's gate.

Koto, just a few paces away simmered to quiet chittering and stared at Sasuke, an unfamiliar emotion swirling in his eyes. Sasuke was going to question it when the bird spoke. "I'm just nervous… you know?"

Sasuke stilled, familiarity settling in. He motioned the bird over with a flick of his fingers, and Koto came willingly. When the bird inched closer, Sasuke ruffled the eccentric feathers on Koto's head. "Yeah. I know."

Koto leaned into Sasuke's hand. He crawled into Sasuke's lap, sitting down and resting while they waited for the rest of their team. It was a short rest, however, when the four were walking towards them, already gathered. Sasuke began to get up, Koto hopping to the ground and looking up at the five boys as his body began to tremble eagerly.

The moment their eyes met, Neji and Sasuke shared a look of apathy though their stomachs danced with dread. Sasuke was the first to look away, deciding in his heart that Naruto was more important than a quarrel of pride. He addressed Shikamaru with a nod, knowing that he would be leading this expedition.

Shikamaru nodded back, and between them a silent cooperation sparked. Shikamaru started forward, the rest falling in step behind him. And yes, Sasuke was a little annoyed when Neji stalked up beside him, almost as if he was competing for the place in the 'line' Sasuke held. Koto hurriedly made way to Sasuke's shoulder, worried a fight might break out.

Sasuke, now that Koto was present, willed himself not to bark at the Hyuuga and instead to trot faster momentarily in order to be beside Shikamaru and speak with him. "So, what do you think of all of this?"

Shikamaru's gaze was a ponderous one. "Actually, I want to know what you think."

Sasuke raised a sarcastic eyebrow, his annoyance steadily growing now that he had been placed with people more wary of him than they were of Naruto's condition. "_I_ think we should be placing Naruto above _all else_. First priority."

Shikamaru sighed, a hint of a smile touching his lips. _Uchiha. Always saying one thing instead of another. It's like beating around a bush really. _"Agreed. We should probably put aside our differences and I quote, 'stop bickering like PMS'ing woman'."

Sasuke blinked wonderingly at Shikamaru. The rookie really was good at reading between the lines.

"_I_ _also_ think that this whole mess is quite troublesome but I guess it's not only my responsibility now, is it?" The Nara continued, matching Sasuke's blank look with an affable one.

Sasuke's lips slowly quirked into a smirk, pushing his hands into his pockets. His eyes took on an a far away look, venturing to a time the four could never grasp. "I took responsibility of that blond idiot years ago."

Shikamaru watched the emotion splay across Sasuke's eyes, and feeling as if he was invading, Shikamaru turned his eyes forward. "…Care to share?" he murmured.

It was silent throughout the group for a moment, a mindful atmosphere hazing the Uchiha's presence. They focused solely on Sasuke when he took a light breath. "It was our first 'C' class mission…"

Shikamaru glanced at Sasuke when the raven hesitated after beginning so breathlessly. A slight surprise sparked inside him when he saw the distraught clearly shown on Sasuke's face. "Sasuke-"

"We had to accompany a bridge builder, Tazuna, to the Mist." He muttered. "We were hired to guard him. What he failed to mention was that there were more than just bandits tailing him. 'A' class ninja had been sent after Tazuna. When we first encountered two of them, I handled them easily. But… that man, Zabuza… he was bad news." The boys' eyes widened, having heard of the monstrous man attacking team seven but they had brushed it off as a rumor.

Sasuke carried on just as quietly as he had began, "When Kakashi got himself tangled up, Naruto had run straight at Zabuza, of course, that being the idiot's only battle plan. …But he had saved Kakashi then. I played a part as well, but it was his plan we followed… It was nerve racking, watching Naruto fight so close ranged when his fighting style was so open and full of flaws. After that I had begun to wonder if that was how Naruto would always fight; only taking up arms when someone was in danger, and goofing around when it was only his life on the line." Sasuke paused, his feelings on the matter making themselves known. Koto keened quietly, knudging into Sasuke's neck though Sasuke didn't seem to notice.

"And, the other boy, Haku. He was a formidable fighter. Had he not been so kindhearted, Naruto and I wouldn't be hear today. I know that for a fact." Sasuke dropped his eyes to the ground just before his feet. "…Naruto had rushed in to help me when I got caught in Haku's jutsu. When we were injured, Naruto's wounds were more serious then mine. He passed out, and at first I thought that it wouldn't matter… Haku would just keep his attention on me since I was still standing. But- the moment Naruto went down, Haku took his chance…" Sasuke's voice died out at the end, rather than ending the sentence.

Kiba squeezed in between Shikamaru and Sasuke, his fretful eyes trained on Sasuke's haunted appearance. "…I jumped in front of him." This statement was unlike the rest of the tail, it was said with finality. A gasp escaped Kiba, and Shikamaru leaned around the aw stricken brunette, his eyes also wide. Koto's keens died out, his face hidden, currently smothered against Sasuke's neck. Sasuke sighed quietly, his eyes blinking rapidly as if he winked out of a trance. "I just moved. It was like my body moved on it's own."

Sasuke kept his eyes on the ground, wary of the four astonished stares. In his mind he was troubled that he had spoken so bluntly and clearly about the past. In the pit of his essence, he was angry that they were all so surprised by his actions. His anger flooded him, his eyes narrowing darkly. When he felt he was about to explode, Kiba spoke up beside him, grabbing his shoulder with a tight grip.

"Dude, that's the worst… seeing something like that."

Sasuke's head snapped up, catching Kiba's sympathy instantly. Sasuke shrugged off the hand aggressively. "I don't know what you're talking about." he muttered.

Kiba frowned attentively. "Are you saying you didn't care? Because we all know you saw it. And how you reacted is all over your face."

"…Saying it out loud only makes it that more real…" Sasuke murmured, mainly to Kiba, but they all heard it. _…Why would I admit to seeing Naruto die? I stepped in front of him before it happened, so why recognize something I only fantasized?_

Sasuke clenched his jaw, watching as familiar plants crossed his path. It was as if he was walking in an endless pitch black darkness. Naruto stood there ahead of him, still and unmoving, yet the more Sasuke ventured towards him, the farther away Naruto seemed. The colder it seemed.

_I was definelty fantasizing. Naruto _did not _die. He couldn't have..._

* * *

**A/N: uh oh... Sasuke is now unsure of what he saw! Is Naruto truly alive or was Sasuke only seeing what he wanted to see? Is his subconcious haunting him, or is it just his doubt?**

**Who read the new chapter of Naruto? Don't read the rest if you don't want it to be spoiled for you!**

**SPOILER**

**i thought it was cute that he took after his mom! I was so sure his dad was the goofy one! How wrong was i? Dreadfully wrong apparently! From her 'tte ba ne' came his 'tte ba yo'. Hahaha, aww that is just too funny and cute! Definently love ya Kushina, but yes, he does say silly nonsense like you )**

**SPOILER OVER**

**Chapter 15! Review to Continue!**

**-MM :D**


	17. An Apparition?

**Chapter 16**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto. But I wish I do :3**

**A/N I am sooo sorry you guys. I was cut from the internet, I wasn't able to update until now :( Please, enjoy.**

* * *

The cautious walk to the sight was relatively silent, and Sasuke was grateful for that. He did not wish to hear Neji's prissy attitude or whatever the annoying boy felt was appropriate to say. Because nothing he said was appropriate. He was either making a moronic remark or speaking "on behalf" of someone else because according to the world of Neji, they couldn't speak properly for themselves. Sasuke disliked- no, detested the stuck up prick. He did not even want to hear the jerk's voice, or even see his primped up face. Maybe he was being immature, but Sasuke would absolutely never get along with someone who held themselves like they were some god damn deity.

At one point, Kiba had idled up beside Sasuke. _Right_ beside Sasuke, basically plastered to his side. Sasuke had been wary of it to say the least, but in his right mind he knew Kiba was as nervous as he. And with the ongoing turmoil between him and Neji, it had only added on to the brunette's worry. Kiba was a good friend, and Sasuke felt it would only be an act of disdain to shove him away. Kiba's good nature was comforting to Sasuke in a way anyway, and it kept him from clobbering Neji's face beyond recognition in the long run.

Koto had long since fallen asleep, tucking himself into Sasuke's collar. Shikamaru stood on the other side of Kiba, his dazed posture making Sasuke consider suggesting to stop for the night. They had left late in the afternoon, and were close to the entrance of the sight as the sun began to fall lower in the sky. Chouji had been silent the whole way. Sasuke hadn't heard a word from the boy the entire time they were teamed together. Sasuke had begun to wonder if Chouji felt awkward around him. It would be a probability what with the four of them accompanying him to run after Naruto when before it was them and Naruto who had gone after Sasuke. It was a total switch around.

Sasuke stiffened when he heard an odd gurgling sound in the distance. He lifted his arm, effectively stopping Kiba mid-step. The brunette looked at him questionably, and the others gathered at their sides in rising apprehension. The surrounding forest had grown oddly silent, and Sasuke activated his Sharingan when he heard the noise grow louder, nearer.

The boys' attention was drawn quickly to the ground where a small rabbit crawled out of the brush and into plain sight. They all recoiled in shock at the disfigured and unhealthily thin animal. The small rabbit's fur had fallen out, and grotesque black splotches marred its sickly pale skin that had begun to peel away from the muscle. The rabbit's pink eyes were tainted and cloudy, obviously gone blind.

Kiba wrinkled his nose, and covered it with his jacket sleeve. "Ugh, what's that smell?"

Neji's eyes crinkled slightly as he activated his Byakugan. "It seems a poison has entered its body. It's deteriorating from several different points in its body."

Sasuke stepped toward it, the rabbit freezing at his proximity. Leaning down, the poison's fumes entered his nose, and Sasuke coughed.

"Uchiha! Get away from it!" Shikamaru bellowed in shock.

Sasuke covered his mouth and nose, stepping away from it. Kiba ran to his side. "Dude! What the hell?"

Sasuke took one glance at Kiba, and he pulled his pack around. Setting it on the ground, he pulled several cloths from the inside. He handed one to Kiba. The brunette hesitantly took it from him, eyeing Sasuke's stony disposition.

"This will help. From here on, you'll need that," he murmured, turning to give the others cloths as well.

Neji looked at Sasuke's outstretched hand with something akin to arrogant skepticism. "Just what for?"

Sasuke was sure a tic had developed in his right eye. "Naruto said there were pipes underneath the sight. That poison smells the same as that waste that lay inside them. I'm assuming that a pipe must have surfaced nearby, or some sort of spill had infected the wildlife. It will be safer to travel if we cover our faces."

Neji remained silent, eyeing Sasuke intently. He took the cloth, though not very gratefully. Sasuke took his own, folding it evenly to tie up in the back. Fixing it over his face, he turned to Shikamaru. "I think we should rest for the night."

Shikamaru nodded. "Agreed." He turned to rest of the boys. "Let's find shelter. Somewhere hidden."

* * *

Sasuke tended to the campfire, poking the wood as the warmth licked at his cold toes. He had been chosen to take first watch, and the rest had fallen asleep on a tarp they laid under a fallen log. The animals around them had made themselves scarce as the boys settled and quieted. The careening of the crickets relaxed Sasuke somewhat, but as he stared in the fire, his mind had begun to wander back to his brother.

Itachi's odd behavior had been recognized when Naruto cleared Sasuke's head of hatred; Sasuke knew that now. He hadn't noticed before because his thoughts were clouded with revenge. The look on his brother's face that night just wasn't right. Itachi would never kill his whole family and be apathetic about it. Just what could have been at stake? What was in danger that caused Itachi to kill everyone?

Sasuke began to recall the way the blood sprayed upon the ground, the way it licked Itachi's blade as his family fell one by one. Sasuke scowled and threw his makeshift poker into the fire. The flames jumped violently. _It just doesn't make any sense! _Sasuke buried his face in his hands, feeling lost and confused. _Why did you do it Itachi?_

"Sasuke?"

Sasuke jumped profoundly and whipped around to face Kiba, who was coming to sit beside him on the thin make-shift log bench.

"Whoa, sorry dude, I didn't mean to _frighten_ you." Kiba grinned, his teeth glinting in the light of the fire. When Sasuke merely turned back to the flames, Kiba's grin fell. "Hey what's bitin' you, Sasuke?"

Sasuke shook his head and instead answered Kiba's question with another question. "Can't sleep?"

Kiba frowned and bumped his shoulder against Sasuke. "Hey man, if you're feeling weird, just come out and say it. I know I'm not Naruto, but I can listen."

Sasuke glared at Kiba. "What makes you think I talk to that idiot about my problems?"

Kiba's eyes widened at the sudden lash of irritation. His frown deepened, a single pointed tooth jutting out over his lip. "I'm just saying that when Naruto's not around, you look out of place."

Sasuke's glare withered, and he sighed. "I don't talk to Naruto about anything. I don't have to. When I'm around him, it's like he already knows."

Kiba snorted. "It's easy to tell Sasuke. When you're upset, your emotions jump all over the place, and then you get all quiet and distant like."

Sasuke scowled softly at the brunette. "That's not what I meant. Everyone can see I'm upset, but its like he knows what I'm upset about."

Kiba looked at the fire. "Oh. Well what are you upset about?"

Sasuke leaned onto his elbows, adverting his eyes. "Nothing. I'm fine."

"That right there is probably why he doesn't ask." Sasuke didn't answer him. Kiba grew silent. His lack of knowledge about the Uchiha faltered his way of going about the situation. In his loss of what to do, he began to speak what was on his mind. "…I was worried about Naruto. I couldn't sleep."

Sasuke slowly turned to Kiba, his grey eyes cloudy in a way that made Kiba wonder just what he thought of the blond. "That makes two of us."

Having found something the two shared in common, Kiba continued on. "How did you know that Naruto wasn't… you know?"

Sasuke paused. The eagerness as well as hesitance in Kiba's question made Sasuke want to open up, but he was just as hesitant as the brunette. "…A while ago, when Naruto brought me back to Konoha…" Sasuke's voice died out. He was uncertain of himself all of a sudden. Kiba's eagerness urged him to continue, and he did with some difficulty. "He used a technique that bonded us both mentally and emotionally."

Kiba's eyes widened. "Shoot, really? That's cool."

Sasuke smirked at Kiba's antics. "He thought he would be able to help me control my emotions, but instead our emotions clashed constantly." Kiba nodded, his intrigue with the story amusing Sasuke. "That's why we ended up fighting frequently."

Kiba tilted his head. "At one point didn't you start ignoring him?"

Sasuke's smirk fell away as he recalled the incident in Naruto's apartment. "Yeah. I did." Sasuke turned his eyes on the fire when a spark fell on a leaf. He stamped it out.

Kiba nudged him. "So what happened?"

Sasuke removed his sandal, the halted, charred edges of the leaf contorted and sharp. "Well… the day after Naruto went missing, I had a strange nightmare." He narrowed his eyes. "I was underground, laying in what I thought was water. It was so dark, and I was in so much pain…" Sasuke began to rub his arm, recalling the ache. "My arm was burning, and my head was so cloudy I could hardly think straight. Everything stung like I had lost feeling and it was slowly coming back. Whenever I tried to open my eyes they stung unbearably. It was so alarming…" Sasuke clasped his hands tightly. "But it wasn't my pain. It was Naruto's." Kiba frowned, confused. "It's hard to explain, but we were still bonded, connected, and in my sleep I had infiltrated Naruto's mind. He was lying in a pipe filled with dirty, poisonous water… It was horrible."

Kiba rubbed his head. "Dang. That's heavy."

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't know if he's still in there, or if he escaped. I tried to speak to him so many times but it's like he's barricaded me out."

Kiba hummed, his face narrowed as if he was thinking really hard. Sasuke raised a skeptical brow at the boy, and Kiba blurted, "Why don't you just try right now? Maybe you were too far away or something."

Sasuke blinked at the brunette for his rushed words, but he shook his head with a small chuckle. "Yeah, alright."

Sasuke closed his eyes, trying to envision Naruto standing a ways away from him. It was hard to do what with his eyelids glowing and flaring with the flames of the fire. He furrowed his brow, and pushed his chakra through his mind. Then he saw it, a slight glimpse of blonde. _Naruto. _As the blonde appeared and disappeared with the rising flames, Sasuke's chakra surged forward, and followed it. The blonde flicker flashed orange and red like a flame, and then like the snuffing of a candle, all the light faded. He was swallowed in darkness. Sasuke stumbled, suddenly finding himself standing. He looked around the dark abyss, but there was nothing to see.

"Kiba?"

His voice echoed eerily. It bounced far off into the distance, getting quieter and quieter. Then it began to come back, bouncing through the darkness, louder and louder until it surrounded him. Sasuke covered his ears as it bellowed about him, but then it stopped as suddenly as it had come. Sasuke dropped his hands, confusion making him wander forward.

When he continued to walk and walk, he lost track of time. He turned and turned, but he was only met with darkness. He began to get uneasy. The darkness wasn't changing, he was just wandering in an empty nothingness. Sasuke began to run, his foot steps cluttering through the silence.

"Naruto!" Sasuke tripped in the darkness, but he struggled on. "Naruto!"

His calls echoed and echoed, eventually coming back to him. _Shit! Shit! What's going on? _Sasuke continued to run, until he ran out of stamina and fell to his knees. He panted there, his breathing the only noise in the abyss.

"What the fuck is this place?"

"The In-between."

Sasuke froze at the sound of the unsettling ominous sounding voice. Slowly, he lifted his head, and there standing in front of him was an apparition. A ghostly, sinister looking fox sneered down at him. The rustic orange coat of the fox flickered like fire, and its narrowed, fierce red eyes shined like rubies when placed in the sunlight, but there was no light to speak of in that realm.

Sasuke's very being reverberated under the power of the great fox, his breath coming in short intervals under the pressure. "Kyuubi…"

Kyuubi's sneer stretched into a venomously ugly grin. "You seem to be having a hard time." Kyuubi snickered, though it was more like a hissing growl. "The boy sent me to warn you of the danger you so desperately wish to throw yourself into, though I hold no fancy of helping you."

Sasuke tried to stand on his feet, Kyuubi's pressure wrapping around him. Kyuubi seemed to notice his struggling, and the fox's grin grew in size. "As much as it joys me to watch you squirm, I've been given clear instructions."

Relief flowed through him, alleviating him of the pressure under Kyuubi's chakra. Sasuke shakily stood, and when his knees buckled, Kyuubi was there beside him. Sasuke wrapped his arms around the demon, momentarily surprised at the size of the fire fox.

"Just sit down you fool," Kyuubi grumbled.

Sasuke slowly let his bottom hit the ground. He dropped his hold from the powerful being, apprehensive of its sudden kindness. "Instructions?"

Kyuubi sat in front of him, his glowing eyes giving Sasuke the creeps. "Well, they're more like requests, but whatever." Kyuubi shrugged standoffishly.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why are you helping Naruto? I thought you'd hate him for imprisoning you."

Kyuubi's tails flared to life; his threatening growl made the very atmosphere around them buzz. "I don't need to explain myself to you, boy." Kyuubi's tails flailed angrily, and the fox adverted his eyes. "This is getting complicated, and I really don't like getting involved with Uchihas. Look, boy, this place is dangerous to you. You can't be wandering about here willy-nilly."

Sasuke raised a questioning brow. "Willy-nilly?"

Kyuubi growled. "Shut up!" Sasuke raised his hands defensively. "Freakin' Uchihas." Kyuubi's tails swayed, the fires slowly dimming. "Deep breaths." The fox breathed deeply, temporarily turning away from Sasuke.

Sasuke frowned. _This is getting kind of weird…_

"I heard that brat." Sasuke jumped, raising his eyes to Kyuubi's irritated expression. "This is the In-between, Moron. I can hear your thoughts."

Sasuke sighed. "Please, just tell me where Naruto is."

Kyuubi tilted his head, his ear falling to one side as he scratched it. "Can't do that, boy." Sasuke scowled. "Now freakin' listen! I don't want to be here eternally. You can't be wandering about this realm. You may wander too far from your body and be forever disconnected."

Sasuke sat straighter, aware that even this technique was fatal. "Disconnected?"

Kyuubi narrowed his eyes. "A bodiless spirit, boy." Sasuke's eyes widened. "You may find your way out of this realm, but once you've disconnected, there's no reconnecting." Kyuubi stood. "Now, come. We must get you back to your body."

Kyuubi began to trot off, but Sasuke sat there, his eyes trained on the ground. Kyuubi turned his head back and growled. "Come."

Sasuke looked up at the demon with desperation. "What's happened to Naruto?"

Kyuubi was silent for a moment. "I'm not to speak about him."

Sasuke gritted his teeth, jumping to his feet and momentarily wobbling on his shuddering knees. "Why does that idiot push this?"

Kyuubi's glowing eyes narrowed fierily. "That _idiot_ is trying to protect you, boy. I will not let you speak of him in such a manner."

Sasuke stumbled over his next words, recognizing the respect Kyuubi held for Naruto. He lowered his voice. "Please, Kyuubi. Please let me help him."

Kyuubi was silent for a moment more. His glowing eyes shuddered and dimmed, revealing rustic red eyes looking back at the Uchiha. Kyuubi bowed his head. "Let us go."

Sasuke dropped his eyes, intense grief wrapping around his heart. He followed slowly after the fox, his mind wandering for some sort of answer. _Why? _

"Uchiha." Sasuke paused briefly alongside the fox, though he did not raise his eyes. "Your thoughts are very loud." Sasuke shook his head, sarcastic amusement playing at the corners of his lips. "You are a very lost child, Sasuke."

Sasuke's dark amusement lead way to surprise. His wide eyes found Kyuubi's hard ones. "I assure you your intentions are good, but Naruto does not wish for you to be harmed."

Sasuke rubbed his temples harshly. "That i- Naruto, gives me a headache."

Kyuubi smiled, and Sasuke was caught off guard at the gesture. "That I can agree with. Naruto gives me a heart attack almost everyday. He's going to be the end of me."

Kyuubi nodded off into the distance, and Sasuke felt more content now, following the powerful, yet strange, demon.

"You know, boy, for an Uchiha, you're not very supercilious. I may learn to like you as well. Maybe." Sasuke dropped his eyes, his first impression of Kyuubi proven wrong. "As for your soul searching, I believe you have every right to feel confused and lost. And you are not alone. You will one day find the truth, I swear it you."

Sasuke's thankful gaze met Kyuubi's twinkling one. "Kyuubi, if you can't tell me where Naruto is, can you at least tell me how to find him?"

Kyuubi suddenly grinned evilly. "Ah, I do not recall that being of Naruto's restrictions." Kyuubi snickered.

Sasuke smirked at the bizarre demon. "I think I may learn to like you too, Kyuubi."

* * *

**A/N I loved writing Kyuubi :3 He's one of my favorite characters, my other being Itachi. He's awesome :P Anyways, I'm so sorry again for the ridiculous wait! I really hope you like this chapter, but I'll work to write a longer one next chapter! And yes, I'm also sorry that they haven't reunited, but they will soon!**

**Chapter Sixteen! Review to Continue!**

**-MM**


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